France expels Algerian officials in tit-for-tat measure, minister says ties ‘totally blocked’

France’s foreign ministry summoned a senior Algerian diplomat on Wednesday to inform him that Paris was expelling Algerians holding diplomatic passports without visas in response to a decision by Algiers to expel 15 French officials.”France reserves the right to take additional measures depending on how the situation evolves,” the ministry said in a statement after summoning Algeria’s charge d’affaires. It did not say how many people were expelled.

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France’s ties with its former colony have long been complicated, but took a turn for the worse last year when President Emmanuel Macron angered Algeria by backing Morocco’s position over the disputed Western Sahara region.There had been a short-lived thaw in tensions last month after Barrot visited Algiers, but a week later tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions once again strained ties.

Algeria’s press agency APS reported on Monday that France’s charge d’affaires had been informed that 15 French diplomatic agents were in irregular positions and would be expelled. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told BFM television on Wednesday that ties were now “totally blocked.”

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