France warns Algeria of 'consequences' if its officials expelled

The expulsion order, targeting French officials, follows the indictment of three men in Paris, one of whom worked for an Algerian consulate in France, on terrorism-related charges.

The French national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office confirmed the suspects were charged last Friday with arrest, kidnapping, unlawful detention and connections to a terrorist enterprise.

Barrot called the Algerian decision "very regrettable" and warned of "consequences."

"The Algerian authorities decided to react to an independent judicial procedure by expelling 12 French officials. This is a very regrettable decision, which compromises the dialogue we had started," Barrot said on France 2 television.

"Justice is independent, and the legal proceedings have nothing to do with relations between two governments," he added.

The French officials in question were reportedly given 48 hours to leave Algerian territory.

"If Algeria insists on carrying out these expulsions, we will have no choice but to take similar measures," Barrot said.

Algeria, for its part, blames French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau for the latest diplomatic flare-up, accusing him of bearing "full responsibility" for the tensions.

However, Barrot dismissed the claim, saying, "Minister Retailleau has nothing to do with this judicial affair, which has been ongoing for months."