Algeria Takes Action, Expels Two French Intelligence Officers
(MENAFN) Algerian authorities expelled two French intelligence agents on Sunday for entering the country with “fake diplomatic passports,” marking a new chapter in the growing tension between the two nations.
As reported by Algerian broadcaster, the two individuals were part of the French Interior Ministry’s Directorate of Internal Security and had “failed to comply with legal procedures” when entering Algerian territory. The broadcaster called the incident a “maneuver” orchestrated by French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.
French officials have not yet commented on the expulsion.
This latest move follows Algeria’s expulsion of 12 French embassy staff members in early April, in retaliation for the arrest of an Algerian consular employee in Paris, who was accused of involvement in the kidnapping of an Algerian opposition influencer. France responded by expelling 12 Algerian diplomats and recalling its ambassador in Algiers for consultations.
These diplomatic tit-for-tat actions came after a brief improvement in relations, following a phone conversation between Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and French President Emmanuel Macron in late March. French Minister of State for Europe Jean-Noel Barrot also visited Algiers on April 6, during which both parties pledged to resume bilateral cooperation mechanisms.
Relations between Algeria and France remain fragile, largely due to unresolved issues stemming from France’s colonization of Algeria from 1830 to 1962.
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