France, April 14 -- French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Monday threatened to retaliate if Algeria pursued an order to expel 12 members of staff at the French embassy over the next two days.

"I am asking Algerian authorities to abandon these expulsion measures," Barrot said. "If the decision to send back our officials is maintained, we will have no other choice but to respond immediately."

The 12 include some members of the French interior ministry, a diplomatic source told the French news agency AFP.

On Sunday, authorities in Algeria summoned the French ambassador to protest the arrest last Friday of an Algerian consular official on suspicion of involvement in the April 2024 abduction of an Algerian influencer, Amir Boukhors, i...