Algeria expels 12 French officials amid deepening diplomatic rift with Paris
Tensions surge over influencer abduction case, France’s remarks on Western Sahara, and deportation disputes
ALGIERS, Algeria (MNTV) – Algeria has ordered 12 French officials, including members of the Interior Ministry, to leave the country within 48 hours, France’s foreign minister confirmed on Monday, as a diplomatic row between the two countries continues to widen.
The move follows the recent indictment of three Algerian nationals in France, one of whom is a consular official, over suspected involvement in the April 2024 abduction of exiled Algerian influencer Amir Boukhors, also known as “Amir DZ.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called the expulsions “unjustified” and urged Algerian authorities to reconsider.
“If the decision to send back our officials is maintained, we will have no other choice but to respond immediately,” he said in a statement on Monday.
The case has reignited long-standing tensions between Algeria and its former colonial ruler.
Boukhors, a vocal critic of the Algerian government with more than a million followers on TikTok, has lived in France since 2016 and was granted political asylum in 2023.
He was reportedly abducted in a Paris suburb in April and released the following day. Algerian authorities have demanded his extradition, citing nine international arrest warrants for alleged charges including fraud and terrorism.
Algiers condemned the arrest of its consular official, arguing it violated diplomatic norms and undermined recent efforts to repair bilateral ties between Presidents Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Emmanuel Macron.
The diplomatic rift has been further complicated by separate disputes. In March, Algerian influencer Boualem Naman, known as “Doualemn,” was detained in Montpellier over a controversial TikTok video and ordered deported.
French authorities attempted to repatriate him, but Algeria refused to accept him on two separate occasions.
Relations were also strained over France’s stance on Western Sahara.
In a letter to King Mohammed VI earlier this year, Macron endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan as the only solution to the long-running conflict—prompting Algeria to recall its ambassador from Paris.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry condemned the French position as an unprecedented and provocative move.
The deteriorating relations come amid broader regional friction, with both nations navigating sensitive political, migration, and security issues tied to historical grievances and evolving geopolitical interests.
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