Airspace closed and ambassador recalled - all because of Macron's statement

Airspace closed and ambassador recalled - all because of Macron's statement

This is the biggest escalation of the conflict between the two countries in several years, according to Reuters.

A spokesman for the French army said that due to Algeria's decision, "there will be no major consequences" for its operation in the Sahel region.

Algeria recalled the ambassador to Paris on Sunday, citing comments by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Le Monde previously quoted Macron as saying that the "political-military system" in Algeria had revised the history of the period of colonization, basing it on "France's hatred". Algeria gained independence from France in 1962 after an eight-year war. Algeria's ruling elite since independence has been largely made up of veterans of the war.

France has about 5.000 troops in the Sahel, south of Algeria, where forces from several countries in the region are fighting Islamic extremists, mostly in Mali and Niger.