France announced Tuesday it is expelling 12 Algerian diplomatic officials, a day after Algeria took the same step against 12 French officials in a tit-for-tat move reflecting rising tensions between the two countries.
Algeria said its decision was prompted by the arrest of an Algerian consular official in France in connection with a kidnapping investigation. However, diplomatic ties have been strained since last summer, when France shifted its position to support Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a disputed region claimed by the pro-independence Polisario Front, which is backed by Algeria.
Algeria's Foreign Ministry said it had declared the 12 persona non grata after the arrest in France of an Algerian consular official, a "vile act" it blamed on French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.
For decades, ties between France and Algeria have gone through diplomatic upheavals and the fresh row comes at a delicate time in relations, underscoring the difficulties in repairing ties.
On Friday, French prosecutors indicted three Algerians, including a consular official, on suspicion of involvement in the 2024 abduction of an opponent of the Algerian government, Amir Boukhors, in a Paris suburb.
The men, who are also being prosecuted for "terrorist" conspiracy, were placed in pre-trial detention.
