Algeria cuts diplomatic ties with UAE after years of mounting tensions

"Algeria has decided to cut diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, following the exhaustion of all means to preserve bilateral relations," Algeria's state television announced.

Algeria accused the UAE of "provocative and hostile acts", without providing details in a statement released by the foreign ministry.

"Algeria spared no effort to draw the Emirati side's attention to, and to warn it against, the dire consequences that could result from its regrettable and unjustified conduct," the ministry said.

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'No longer acceptable'

There was no immediate reaction from UAE authorities.

Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune has often referred to the UAE in speeches as a "micro-state" or "statelet" seeking to destabilise several countries in the region, citing Libya, Mali and Sudan.

"Wherever they set foot, blood flows," Tebboune said in a televised interview in July. "We want them to stay away, so that blood does not flow in our country."

At the time, Tebboune said a diplomatic break "would have happened long ago" had Algeria not sought to avoid "deepening divisions" in the Arab world.

On Thursday, Algiers said it was giving the UAE ambassador 48 hours "to comply with the decision".

The foreign ministry said it had warned Abu Dhabi several times but the UAE "persisted in its actions, reaching a point where they could no longer be considered acceptable or tolerable".

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Years of tensions

Tensions between the two countries have been fuelled by several developments in recent years.

Last year, Algerian state television denounced what it called a hostile media campaign after UAE-based broadcaster Sky News Arabia aired an interview with historian Mohamed Amine Belghit, who made controversial remarks questioning the existence of Algeria's indigenous Amazigh culture.

Belghit was jailed in Algeria but later pardoned by Tebboune.

Further divisions between Algiers and Abu Dhabi stemmed from diverging diplomatic policies, including the UAE's normalisation of ties with Israel in 2020.

(with newswires)