France says it is expelling 12 Algerian diplomatic officials, a day after Algeria announced the expulsion of the same number of French officials in escalating tensions between the two countries.

The move followed expulsions of French officials by Algeria after an Algerian official was accused of kidnapping an influencer who had been granted political asylum in France.

Its purpose is to scupper the relaunch of bilateral relations agreed by the two heads of state." A phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at the end of March was a first sign of a possible reconciliation after months of crisis.