Algeria Expels 12 French Officials as Tensions Rise
Tensions between France and Algeria, never far from the surface, have flared again as Algeria moved to expel 12 officials working at the French Embassy and consulates.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that the French officials had been given 48 hours to leave the country.
Algeria's decision followed the arrest in France on Friday of an Algerian official accused of involvement in the kidnapping last year of an Algerian influencer known as 'Amir DZ.'
'This disgraceful act, by which the minister of the interior sought to humiliate Algeria, was perpetrated with no regard for the consular status of the agent,' Algeria's foreign ministry said in a statement.
France reacted with threats of its own. 'We are ready to act,' said Jean-Noël Barrot, the French foreign minister. 'The Algerian authorities only have a few hours left to reverse their decision.'
The Algerian official was indicted on suspicion of 'arrest, abduction, unlawful confinement or arbitrary detention in connection with a terrorist undertaking,' French national antiterrorism prosecutors said in a statement.
He and two other people have been detained.
'Amir DZ' has been living in France since 2016 and was granted political asylum in 2023.
For years, Algeria has demanded his extradition, issuing nine international arrest warrants on accusations of fraud and terrorist offenses. French courts rejected the request.
'Neither societies have moved on from trauma, so there are always people in Algeria and in France who have an interest in torpedoing this climate of appeasement,' Khadija Mohsen-Finan, a political scientist with a focus on the Arab world and North Africa and an associate researcher at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
France ruled Algeria for more than a century, as a colony and then a part of its territory. Algeria won its independence in 1962, after a devastating war, but tensions between the two countries have remained almost constant.
Last week, Mr. Barrot visited Algiers in an attempt to revive relations and put to rest an almost yearlong diplomatic crisis.
The relationship had seemed to ease when President Emmanuel Macron called his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in late March. But the conciliation proved illusory.
Relations have been particularly bad since last summer, when Mr. Macron announced French support of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, a territory whose control Algeria disputes.
The situation was aggravated by the arrest last November in Algiers of an Algerian French writer, Boualem Sansal, on accusations of undermining national unity and security.
Mr. Macron, alongside many intellectuals and officials, was outraged. He has called for the release of the author, believed to be 80, who was sentenced to five years in prison in late March.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
41 minutes ago
- New York Post
Benjamin Netanyahu promises great future ‘if we take out Iran' after Israel strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was coy about whether the ultimate goal of the preemptive strikes on Iran is a regime change, but made clear that such a powershift would be a welcome outcome. 'I truly believe we have a great future if we take out Iran,' Netanyahu told Fox News during a special edition of 'Special Report with Bret Baier' on Sunday, during a discussion about the Arab reaction to the strikes. 'Iran has been the systemic, systematic fomenter of wars, sabotage, terrorism,' he added. 'They want to conquer the Middle East. And the one obstacle they've had so far is the state of Israel, because we're the ones fighting the Iranians.' Last week, Israel carried out preemptive strikes on several of Iran's nuclear facilities, killed top military brass, wiped out leading scientists, missile sites and more. President Trump had steered Israel away from assassinating Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Axios and Reuters reported. Netanyahu declined to confirm or deny that. 3 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mused that the collapse of Iran is a possible outcome. Fox News 3 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled his country since 1989. APAImages/Shutterstock Khamenei is 86 years old, and it is not fully clear who his successor will be. One possible contender, hardliner and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, died in a helicopter crash last year. The Israeli leader also predicted that the Iranian regime could collapse in the wake of Israel's military campaign. 'It could certainly be the result, because the Iran regime is very weak,' Netanyahu said when pressed if regime change is the objective. 'I think it's basically left with two things: its plans to have atomic bombs and ballistic missiles. That's basically what Iran has. They certainly don't have the people, 80% of the people who throw these theological thugs out.' Netanyahu also noted that he has been sending video messages to the people of Iran encouraging them to resist the theocratic regime. 3 Israel recently targeted an Iranian oil depot. Getty Images 'I say to them, your hour of freedom is near. Rise up, be free,' he said of his message. Over the past two years, Israel has made remarkable progress at knocking back some of its top adversaries. Last year, it took out former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and carried out a stunning exploding pager attack that killed off top leaders within the terror group. Then, the Assad regime in Syria fell, and the neighbor's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has conveyed openness to mending ties with Israel. Israel has also dramatically beaten back Hamas, killing off leaders like Yahya Sinwar. But the Iranian regime, which has backed many of those proxy forces, remains Israel's most capable adversary. Israel's strikes on Iran, which Netanyahu said are 'just the beginning,' came ahead of planned negotiations between Tehran and the US in Oman on Sunday. Those deliberations were ultimately canceled. Trump has publicly predicted that Iran and Israel will 'make a deal' and that the preemptive strikes could hasten such a breakthrough.
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
G-7 leaders gather in Canada for a summit overshadowed by Israel-Iran crisis and trade wars
BANFF, Alberta — Leaders of some of the world's biggest economic powers began arriving in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday for a Group of 7 summit, overshadowed by an escalating conflict between Israel and Iran and President Trump's unresolved trade war with allies and rivals alike. Israel's strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation, which appeared to catch many world leaders unawares, is the latest sign of a more volatile world as Trump seeks to withdraw the U.S. from its role as world policeman. Speaking on a flight to Canada to attend the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had discussed efforts to de-escalate the crisis with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as other world leaders. Britain is sending fighter jets and other military reinforcements to the Middle East. 'We do have long-standing concerns about the nuclear program Iran has. We do recognize Israel's right to self-defense, but I'm absolutely clear that this needs to de-escalate. There is a huge risk of escalation for the region and more widely,' Starmer said, adding that he expected 'intense discussions' would continue at the summit. As summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to abandon the annual practice of issuing a joint statement, or communique, at the end of the meeting. With other leaders wanting to talk to Trump in an effort to talk him out of imposing tariffs, the summit risks being a series of bilateral conversations rather than a show of unity. Trump is the summit wild card. Looming over the meeting are his inflammatory threats to make Canada the '51st state' and take over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Greenland on Sunday for a highly symbolic stop on his way to Canada, meeting the Arctic territory's leader and Denmark's prime minister aboard a Danish helicopter carrier. Macron's office said the trip to Greenland is a reminder that Paris supports principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders as enshrined in the United Nations charter. Macron, who is one of the few leaders to have known Trump during his first term, was the first European leader to visit the White House after Trump took office, emerging unscathed from the Oval Office encounter. But despite the two leaders' sporadic alliance, Macron's approach to Trump has failed to bear major results, with France caught up in the president's planned tariffs on the European Union. Nor did it bring any U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine despite Macron's efforts, together with Starmer, to build a coalition of nations that could deploy forces after any ceasefire with Russia, with the hope it would convince the Trump administration to provide backup. Trump is scheduled to arrive late Sunday in Kananaskis, Alberta. Bilateral meetings among other leaders are possible Sunday, but the summit program does not get underway until Monday. Peter Boehm, who managed Canada's 2018 Group of 7 summit in Quebec and is a veteran of six G-7 gatherings, expects the heads of state to pivot discussion to devote more time to the war. 'Leaders can accommodate a discussion, perhaps even a statement,' Boehm said. 'The foreign policy agenda has become much larger with this.' Leaders who are not part of the G-7 but have been invited to the summit by Carney include the heads of state of India, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates. Avoiding tariffs will continue to be top of mind. 'Leaders, and there are some new ones coming, will want to meet Donald Trump,' Boehm said. 'Trump doesn't like the big roundtable as much he likes the one-on-one.' Bilateral meetings with the American president can be fraught as Trump has used them to try to intimidate the leaders of Ukraine and South Africa. Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told a panel last week that if Trump does act out, leaders should ignore him and remain calm like Carney did in his recent Oval Office meeting. 'He tends to be a bully,' Chrétien said. 'If Trump has decided to make a show to be in the news, he will do something crazy. Let him do it and keep talking normally.' Starmer had a warm Oval Office meeting with the president in February, wooing Trump with an invitation for a state visit from King Charles III. Trump has praised the British prime minister, despite their political differences. Last month Britain and the U.S. announced they had struck a trade deal that will slash American tariffs on U.K. autos, steel and aluminum. It has yet to take effect, however, though British officials say they are not concerned the Trump administration might go back on its word. Starmer's attempts to woo Trump have left him in an awkward position with Canada, the U.K.'s former colony, close ally and fellow Commonwealth member. Starmer has also drawn criticism — especially from Canadians — for failing to address Trump's stated desire to make Canada the 51st state. Asked whether he has told Trump to stop the 51st-state threats, Starmer told the Associated Press: 'I'm not going to get into the precise conversations I've had, but let me be absolutely clear: Canada is an independent, sovereign country and a much-valued member of the Commonwealth.' The war in Ukraine will also be on the agenda. President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to attend the summit and is expected to meet with Trump, a reunion coming just months after their bruising Oval Office encounter which laid bare the risks of having a meeting with the U.S. president. Starmer met with Carney in Ottawa before the summit for talks focused on security and trade, in the first visit to Canada by a British prime minister in eight years. German officials were keen to counter the suggestion that the summit would be a 'six against one' event, noting that the G-7 countries have plenty of differences of emphasis among themselves on various issues. 'The only problem you cannot forecast is what the president of the United States will do depending on the mood, the need to be in the news,' said Chrétien. Gillies and Lawless write for the Associated Press and reported from Banff and Ottawa, respectively. AP writers Josh Boak in Calgary, Canada, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo, Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Geir Moulson in Berlin and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report.
2 hours ago
G7 leaders gather for summit overshadowed by Israel-Iran crisis and trade wars
BANFF, Alberta -- Leaders of some of the world's biggest economic powers arrive in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday for a Group of Seven summit, overshadowed by an escalating conflict between Israel and Iran and U.S. President Donald Trump's unresolved trade war with allies and rivals alike. Israel's strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation, which appeared to catch many world leaders unawares, is the latest sign of a more volatile world as Trump seeks to withdraw the U.S. from its role as world policeman. Speaking on a flight to Canada to attend the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had discussed efforts to de-escalate the crisis with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as other world leaders. Britain is sending fighter jets and other military reinforcements to the Middle East. 'We do have longstanding concerns about the nuclear program Iran has. We do recognize Israel's right to self-defense, but I'm absolutely clear that this needs to de-escalate. There is a huge risk of escalation for the region and more widely," Starmer said, adding he expected 'intense discussions' would continue at the summit. As summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to abandon the annual practice of issuing a joint statement, or communique, at the end of the meeting. With other leaders wanting to talk to Trump in an effort to talk him out of imposing tariffs, the summit risks being a series of bilateral conversations rather than a show of unity. Trump is the summit wild card. Looming over the meeting are his inflammatory threats to make Canada the 51st state and take over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Greenland on Sunday for a highly symbolic stop on his way to Canada, meeting the Arctic territory's leader and Denmark's prime minister aboard a Danish helicopter carrier. Macron's office said the trip to Greenland is a reminder that Paris supports principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders as enshrined in the U.N. charter. Macron, who is one of the very few leaders to have known Trump during his first term, was the first European leader to visit the White House after Trump took office, emerging unscathed from the Oval Office encounter. But despite the two leaders' sporadic bromance, Macron's approach to Trump has failed to bear major results, with France caught up in the president's planned tariffs on the European Union. Nor did it bring any U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine despite Macron's efforts, together with Starmer, to build a coalition of nations that could deploy forces after any ceasefire with Russia, with the hope it would convince the Trump administration to provide backup. Trump is scheduled to arrive late Sunday in Kananaskis, Alberta. Bilateral meetings between other leaders are possible Sunday, but the summit program does not get underway until Monday. Peter Boehm, Canada's sherpa of the 2018 G7 summit in Quebec and veteran of six G7 summits, expects the heads of state to pivot discussion to devote more time to the war. 'Leaders can accommodate a discussion, perhaps even a statement,' Boehm said. 'The foreign policy agenda has become much larger with this.' Leaders who are not part of the G7 but have been invited to the summit by Carney include the heads of state of India, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Mexico and the UAE. Avoiding tariffs will continue to be top of mind. 'Leaders, and there are some new ones coming, will want to meet Donald Trump,' Boehm said. 'Trump doesn't like the big round table as much he likes the one-on-one.' Bilateral meetings with the American president can be fraught as Trump has used them to try to intimidate the leaders of Ukraine and South Africa. Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told a panel this week that if Trump does act out, leaders should ignore him and remain calm like Carney did in his recent Oval Office meeting. 'He tends to be a bully,' Chrétien said. 'If Trump has decided to make a show to be in the news, he will do something crazy. Let him do it and keep talking normally.' Starmer had a warm Oval Office meeting with the president in February, wooing Trump with an invitation for a state visit from King Charles III. Trump has praised the British prime minister, despite their political differences. Last month Britain and the U.S. announced they had struck a trade deal that will slash American tariffs on U.K. autos, steel and aluminum. It has yet to take effect, however, though British officials say they are not concerned the Trump administration might go back on its word. Starmer's attempts to woo Trump have left him in an awkward position with Canada, the U.K.'s former colony, close ally and fellow Commonwealth member. Starmer has also drawn criticism — especially from Canadians — for failing to address Trump's stated desire to make Canada the 51st state. Asked if he has told Trump to stop the 51st state threats, Starmer told The Associated Press: 'I'm not going to get into the precise conversations I've had, but let me be absolutely clear: Canada is an independent, sovereign country and a much-valued member of the Commonwealth.' The war in Ukraine will be on the agenda. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to attend the summit and is expected to meet with Trump, a reunion coming just months after their bruising Oval Office encounter which laid bare the risks of having a meeting with the U.S. president. Starmer met with Carney in Ottawa before the summit for talks focused on security and trade, in the first visit to Canada by a British prime minister for eight years. German officials were keen to counter the suggestion that the summit would be a 'six against one' event, noting that the G7 countries have plenty of differences of emphasis among themselves on various issues. Chrétien.
