Algeria has summoned French Ambassador Stéphane Romatet for a reprimand over what it claims are hostile plans by the French intelligence service, according to reports from Algerian media on Sunday.
Romatet was called to the Foreign Ministry last week following accusations that French intelligence services were involved in efforts to destabilise Algeria. The state-run newspaper El Moudjahid reported that the reprimand was triggered by revelations that French intelligence had allegedly recruited former Algerian militants to undermine the country’s stability.
One of the key cases cited involved Mohamed Amine Aissaoui, who recently appeared on Algerian television, confessing to being part of a purported conspiracy orchestrated by French intelligence.
Algerian authorities reportedly warned the French ambassador that such actions would not go unchallenged, emphasizing that Algeria would not tolerate attacks on its sovereignty.
There was no immediate comment from the French government on the report.
This diplomatic move adds to the already tense relations between Algeria and France, which have been fraught with disputes over historical issues, migration policies, and the Western Sahara conflict. The tensions were exacerbated in July 2023, when Algeria withdrew its ambassador from France in protest over French President Emmanuel Macron’s support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara. Algeria has long backed the Polisario Front’s call for self-determination in the region and opposes France’s stance on the issue.
