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Rabat – France Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau recently said that the latest knife attack committed by a suspect of Algerian nationality happened as a result of Algeria’s regime refusal to cooperate with French authorities.
On Saturday, the suspect stabbed a person and injured five municipal police officers in Mulhouse, France.
Eyewitnesses claimed the suspect shouted “Allah Akbar” several times during the attack. The victim was a 69-year-old Portuguese man who intervened to stop the stabbing.
Retailleau commented on the attack, noting that Algeria refused to issue the perpetrator consular passes to leave the country.
“French authorities made ten requests for consular passes to expel the attacker from Mulhouse, an Algerian national,” Retailleau said.
He made his remarks in an interview with TF1 on Saturday, criticizing Algeria for refusing cooperation that could have prevented the attack from happening.
“He is an individual who should have been accepted by Algeria and Algeria refused him,” the French minister said, adding that “it’s time to change gears with Algeria.”
“We need to establish a show of force,” he said, adding that France has been “kind enough” with the North African country.
“What did we get in return?” he asked.
The remarks came amid brewing tensions between the two countries due to Algeria’s frustration over France’s newfound position on Western Sahara.
Algeria’s regime took offense after France’s decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
In response, Algiers recalled its ambassador to Paris and lashed out at France for its decision.
The attack in Mulhouse also shed light on yet another man who was subject to deportation that Algeria has refused.
This is not an isolated incident, as the regime recently refused entry to a deported influencer as well, yet another example of refusal to cooperate in consular affairs.
