France and Algeria are once again locking horns—this time over a diplomatic spat that’s turning up the heat on already tense relations.
On Sunday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed that Algeria has ordered 12 French diplomats to pack up and leave within 48 hours. The abrupt move, according to French officials, is a tit-for-tat response to the recent arrests of three Algerian nationals in France suspected of criminal involvement, including links to the brazen kidnapping of a prominent Algerian dissident.
The dissident in question, Amir Boukhors—better known by his online alias Amir DZ—was reportedly abducted in France back in April 2024. The incident sent shockwaves through human rights circles and reignited concerns over foreign interference on French soil. On April 11, 2025, French authorities indicted several suspects, among them a member of Algeria’s consulate, triggering a sharp backlash from Algiers.
Algeria’s foreign ministry swiftly condemned the arrest of its consular official, calling it a “serious breach” of diplomatic norms and warning that it could derail the fragile process of mending ties between the two nations. In a strongly worded statement, Algerian officials accused France of showing “no genuine intention” to rebuild trust, claiming that certain factions in Paris were undermining efforts to move forward.
France, for its part, isn’t taking the expulsion quietly. Barrot blasted the decision as “unjustified” and “entirely unrelated” to the judicial proceedings under way in France. He also hinted that Paris won’t let the action go unanswered, saying, “If Algeria doesn’t reconsider, we’ll be forced to respond in kind.”
This latest fallout adds yet another layer of friction to a historically complex relationship between the two countries—one shaped by colonial legacy, immigration, and repeated efforts at reconciliation that seem to falter just as quickly as they’re made.
With trust crumbling and both sides digging in, it’s clear that restoring diplomatic calm won’t be as simple as a handshake or a carefully crafted communiqué.
