French intelligence is allegedly involved in “destabilizing campaigns” in Algeria, according to Algerian media.
Algerian media said on Sunday that Algeria had phoned French Ambassador Stephane Romatet to admonish him over what it described as “hostile plans” by the French intelligence service.
According to the state-run publication El Moudjahid, Romatet was called to the Foreign Ministry last week to discuss claims that French intelligence was involved in destabilizing operations in Algeria.
According to the publication, the censure came after it was discovered that the French intelligence agency had enlisted former Algerian militants in an attempt to jeopardize the stability of the nation.
It brought up the example of Mohamed Amine Aissaoui, who recently spoke about an alleged conspiracy orchestrated by French intelligence in a broadcast confession on Algerian television.
Sovereignty attacks
According to the newspaper, Algerian officials cautioned the French envoy that such acts “won’t go unanswered” and that they would not tolerate “attacks on its sovereignty.”
The Algerian media report elicited no French response.
In the already tense relationship between Algeria and France, which has been tainted by disagreements over migration, historical memory, and the Western Sahara conflict, this development represents a new chapter.
When Algeria withdrew its ambassador from France in July 2023 in protest of French President Emmanuel Macron’s backing of Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, tensions increased even further.
