France expels Algerian officials, minister says ties ‘totally blocked’

France’s Foreign Ministry today summoned a senior Algerian diplomat 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, according to Reuters.

“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.

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 French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel 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.

Barrot told BFM television today that ties were now “totally blocked.”

READ: France says Algeria is threatening to expel diplomatic staff