In a significant escalation of their diplomatic dispute, France has announced the expulsion of Algerian officials amid mounting tensions. The move follows a reciprocal action by Algiers, which expelled 15 French officials earlier this week. The diplomatic dominoes fell after France’s foreign ministry summoned a senior Algerian diplomat and conveyed that Paris is taking measures against Algerians holding diplomatic passports without visas.

The French government declined to specify the number of individuals expelled but emphasized that the country reserves the right to implement additional measures depending on how the situation develops. The statement underscored the seriousness of the dispute, which has now reached a critical point, according to officials.

Relations between France and Algeria, once a colonial master and colony, have long been tumultuous with periods of rapprochement and deterioration. However, the recent exchanges have marked a new low. The crisis intensified last year when French President Emmanuel Macron publicly supported Morocco’s stance on Western Sahara—a disputed territory also claimed by Algeria—prompting outrage in Algiers.

Although a brief thaw occurred following visits to Algiers earlier this year, diplomatic tensions resurfaced quickly. Last week, Algeria’s state news agency APS reported that France’s charge d’affaires was informed that 15 French diplomatic personnel were in irregular positions and would soon be expelled. This development prompted France to retaliate with its own expulsions, further compounding the diplomatic freeze.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot characterized the current state of affairs, stating on BFM television that “ties are now totally blocked.” The escalating tit-for-tat expulsions suggest a deepening rift that threatens to overshadow bilateral relations for the foreseeable future, leaving both nations at a diplomatic impasse that could have wider regional repercussions.