French television channel M6 has called on the Algerian government to lift a ban on its operations in the country after it aired a report on the so-called Hirak movement, a name for protests against former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

The Ministry of Communication on Monday said that "M6 would no longer be allowed to film in Algeria".

It described the report on the protests as biased. It also accused the television channel of using "false authorisation" while filming.

The report aired on Sunday had included interviews recorded using hidden cameras that showed young people talking about the future of their country.

A similar report by French public television channel TV 5 on the protests aired last May triggered a diplomatic spat between the two countries.

The protests started in February 2019 and led the removal of Mr Bouteflika.