French nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara: buried waste, maps and compensation
- In 1999 the IAEA measured the external dose rate at 76 locations on me and analysed 25 samples of my sand, fused sand, solidified lava, vegetation and well water. IAEA
- The IAEA found little residual radioactive material on most of my test areas, except at the ground zero localities of Gerboise Blanche and Gerboise Bleue at Reggane and at Taourirt Tan Afella near the E2 tunnel. IAEA
- At E2 the IAEA recorded caesium-137 in lava at concentrations up to 2 MBq/kg and about 3.5 × 10^5 tonnes of lava buried in my mountain; it wrote that current external exposure rates were less than one tenth of those in 1966. IAEA
- The IAEA wrote that fused sand ground into respirable dust and inhaled without protection could present an inhalation hazard. IAEA
- In February 2026 the Algerian Ministry of National Defence said that the In Ekker region is still affected by caesium-137 and plutonium. TSA Algérie
- International bodies IAEA: Gave the yield class for Béryl (1 May 1962) as 10 < W < 40 kt. IAEA
- Government and regulators Algerian Ministry of National Defence (documentary reported by TSA): Described the failed In Ekker explosion as equivalent to 150,000 tonnes of TNT. TSA Algérie
France states it carried out 17 nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara between 1960 and 1966. Of 4,455 claims registered by France's compensation committee CIVEN in 2010–2025, 73 came from residents of Algeria, and one of the 1,206 claims CIVEN accepted by decision was from a resident of Algeria.
CIVEN accepted 1 claim from a resident of Algeria among the 1,206 it accepted by decision (730 from French Polynesia, 475 from metropolitan France).
Status As of October 2026: the French ministry's answer of 8 September 2026 states that maps were handed over in 2022; Algeria has been decontaminating at Taourirt Tan Afella since February 2026; no cost or completion date is on record.
What happened
A French Ministry of the Armed Forces answer of 8 September 2026 states that France carried out 17 nuclear tests at Reggane and In Ekker in the Algerian Sahara between 1960 and 1966, of which 4 were atmospheric and 13 underground, and that the installations were dismantled and the sites handed back to Algeria under the Evian accords. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the first test, Gerboise Bleue, took place on 13 February 1960 and the 13 tunnel tests at Taourirt Tan Afella ran from 7 November 1961 to 16 February 1966. The IAEA also lists plutonium-dispersal experiments at Reggane in April–May 1961 and at Adrar Tikertine from May 1964.
In November 1999 an IAEA fact-finding mission, requested by Algeria and made up of five international experts supported by seven experts of the Algerian Commissariat à l'énergie atomique, assessed the sites; its report was published in 2005. The IAEA recorded that at the E2 gallery (Béryl test, 1 May 1962) 'an accidental release of fission products mixed with molten rock took place and formed a large bed of hardened lava'. It put the total energy released by the 13 underground tests at about 270 kt, of which nine tests were fully contained. It concluded that environmental remediation of the test areas was not required to bring doses below established safety standards, but that intervention at Gerboise Bleue, Gerboise Blanche and E2 should be reconsidered if a more permanent human presence occurred.
On buried waste, French deputies' written questions of 2020 quoted a 1997 report of the parliamentary office OPECST (Christian Bataille) stating that 'there is no precise data', and cited a July/August 2020 study by ICAN France and the Observatoire des armements as the first inventory. In answers of 22 December 2020 the Ministry of the Armed Forces restated the history and the IAEA mission without publishing burial zones; on 28 February 2023 it said the Sahara test waste was not declared in the French national inventory because it is not on French territory. In a written question published on 3 March 2026, Deputy Sabrina Sebaihi stated that hundreds of tonnes of radioactively contaminated waste had been buried by French military authorities between 1960 and 1967. In its answer of 8 September 2026 the ministry said that during his visit to Algeria on 25–27 August 2022 the French President handed President Tebboune a dossier of all the maps and information France holds on buried waste and radiologically marked zones. The Algerian Ministry of National Defence said in February 2026 that the absence of French maps and archives complicated its teams' work.
On 14 February 2026 the Algerian Ministry of National Defence announced the start of decontamination at Taourirt Tan Afella near In Ekker (the Béryl site). It said a decontamination camp had been set up, waste was being collected and stored in concrete containers, and the work was done under the supervision of Algerian experts with national capacities. No volumes, container numbers, areas or costs were given. In 2021 an Algerian army combat-engineering officer had described two companies created at Reggane and In Ekker to secure the sites through boundary marking, aerial surveillance, periodic water testing, closure of wells near polluted zones and radioactivity monitoring.
France's Law no. 2010-2 of 5 January 2010 created a compensation scheme run by CIVEN. In its 2025 report CIVEN recorded 4,455 claims registered in 2010–2025: 73 from residents of Algeria, 2,784 from French Polynesia and 1,598 from metropolitan France. It accepted 1,206 claims by decision (1 Algeria, 730 French Polynesia, 475 metropolitan France) and paid EUR 102,408,063 for 1,492 compensations over the period; the table gives no breakdown of amounts by residence. Algeria's parliament passed a law on the criminalisation of French colonisation, which lists the nuclear tests among the acts covered, in its lower house in December 2025 (AFP); an amended version was approved in March 2026 with the clause seeking compensation for victims of the nuclear tests unchanged and no amount stated (The New Arab).
- 1960First test, Gerboise Bleue, at Reggane (13 Feb); Gerboise Blanche (1 Apr); Gerboise Rouge (27 Dec)
- 1961Gerboise Verte (25 Apr); plutonium experiments at Reggane (Apr–May); first tunnel test at Taourirt Tan Afella (7 Nov)
- 1962Béryl test at gallery E2 with accidental release of fission products mixed with molten rock (1 May)
- 1966Last tunnel test (16 Feb); French radiological survey of the sites in 1966–1967
- 1999IAEA fact-finding mission at Algeria's request (November)
- 2005IAEA report published
- 2008Franco-Algerian expert working group on the tests created (French ministry account)
- 2010Law no. 2010-2 creates the compensation scheme (5 Jan)
- 2016Conseil d'État opinion that the scheme is 'national solidarity', not a liability regime (17 Oct)
- 2021Conseil constitutionnel decision no. 2021-955 QPC (10 Dec); Algerian army describes two engineering companies securing the sites (February)
- 2022Presidential visit to Algeria (25–27 Aug); French ministry later says a dossier of maps was handed over
- 2024President Tebboune: 'come and clean the nuclear test sites' (October)
- 2025Lower house of Algeria's parliament passes law on French colonisation (about 24 Dec)
- 2026Algeria starts decontamination at Taourirt Tan Afella (14 Feb); written question 13342 published (3 Mar); amended law approved (March); French ministry answer (8 Sep)
What was said
“During his visit of 25–27 August 2022 the President handed President Tebboune a dossier with all the maps and information France holds on buried waste and radiologically marked zones.”
“are not declared in the national inventory because they are not on French territory”
“there is no precise data”
“environmental remediation of any of the test areas is not required in order to reduce doses below established safety standards”
“The mission was able to achieve more than expected as a consequence of the detailed information provided by France.”
“The number of Algerians filing claims remains very low: 73 over the whole period, 1.5%.”
“You want us to be friends, come and clean the nuclear test sites”
“Come and clean, we have no use for your money”
“The arguments by which France tries to justify its position are flimsy and not based on any political logic.”
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
In its answer of 8 September 2026 stated that the French President handed President Tebboune a dossier of all maps and information France holds on buried waste and radiologically marked zones during the visit of 25–27 August 2022.
Assemblée nationaleIn February 2026 stated that the absence of French maps and archives on the operations complicated the teams' work and made identification of radioactive zones difficult.
TSA AlgérieIn February 2021 spoke of the absence of technical information on the nature of the nuclear explosions and the buried polluted material, and asked France to decontaminate the sites and compensate people with test-related illnesses, citing the polluter-pays principle.
TSA AlgérieDescribed the failed In Ekker explosion as equivalent to 150,000 tonnes of TNT.
TSA AlgérieHow it looked
Shown
- The installations were dismantled and the sites handed back to Algeria under the Evian accords.French Ministry of the Armed Forces, answer of 8 September 2026 · Assemblée nationale
- France transmitted to the IAEA a synthesis on test locations and techniques and a radiological survey of 1966–1967 with its extrapolation to 1999.French Ministry of the Armed Forces, answer of 8 September 2026 · Assemblée nationale
- Waste is collected and stored in concrete containers under the supervision of Algerian experts; the In Ekker region is still affected by caesium-137 and plutonium.Algerian Ministry of National Defence, documentary 'Les Algériens au cœur des défis' (reported by TSA) · TSA Algérie
- Requests from Algeria to CIVEN remain at a limited level; CIVEN held exchanges with the veterans' service in Algeria.CIVEN director, activity report 2025 · CIVEN
Recorded
- IAEA mission of November 1999: external dose rate measured at 76 locations and 25 environmental samples (sand, fused sand, solidified lava, vegetation, well water) analysed; the IAEA called the number of samples 'somewhat small, in view of the size of the areas'.
- IAEA: most areas have little residual radioactive material except the ground zero localities of Gerboise Blanche and Gerboise Bleue at Reggane and the area at Taourirt Tan Afella near the E2 tunnel; lower residual activity at the E3 tunnel and Adrar Tikertine.
- IAEA dose estimates: nomadic herders near E2/E3 less than about 50 µSv a year; residents of Reggane town from dust much less than 1 mSv a year; metal scavengers near E2 lava up to about 0.5 mSv in 8 hours; all below the generic intervention level of 10 mSv a year.
- CIVEN payments to victims (all residences, including legal interest): EUR 102,408,063 for 1,492 compensations in 2010–2025; average EUR 69,490 per compensation; maximum single award in 2025 EUR 316,178.
- 2025: 794 new claims at CIVEN (728 French Polynesia, 64 metropolitan France, 2 Algeria) and 600 decisions. 2024: 815 new claims (747, 66, 2), 575 decisions, 169 recognitions; offers went to 113 people in French Polynesia, 37 in metropolitan France and one Algerian who was a civilian at the time of the tests.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- french-armed-forces-ministry (8 September 2026): Stated that France transmitted a synthesis and a 1966–1967 radiological survey to the IAEA and that the President handed over a dossier of all maps and information on buried waste and radiologically marked zones in August 2022. · Assemblée nationale
- algeria-mdn (February 2026): Stated that the absence of French maps and archives complicated its teams' work and made identification of radioactive zones difficult; announced the start of decontamination at In Ekker. · TSA Algérie
- civen (2026): Stated that requests from Algeria remain at a limited level and that it held exchanges with the veterans' service in Algeria. · CIVEN
- iaea (2005): Stated that remediation was not required to bring doses below established safety standards, with intervention at three locations to be reconsidered if economic conditions change and a more permanent human presence occurs. · IAEA
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2010–Ongoing€102.41m paid by CIVEN in 2010–2025, all claimantsCompensation scheme under Law no. 2010-2 (CIVEN)CIVEN (French compensation committee for victims of nuclear tests), with administrative courts · Administrative · People claiming illness linked to the tests → CIVEN
Law no. 2010-2 of 5 January 2010 set up the scheme. A Conseil d'État opinion of 17 October 2016 held that it is 'national solidarity', not a liability regime. By 2025 CIVEN had registered 4,455 claims (73 from residents of Algeria) and accepted 1,206 by decision (1 from a resident of Algeria), plus 339 on court decision (1 from a resident of Algeria). CIVEN
- 2021Outcome not on recordConseil constitutionnel decision no. 2021-955 QPCConseil constitutionnel · Administrative · →
Decision of 10 December 2021, cited by CIVEN as affecting court-ordered payments, a large number of cases having been settled by administrative courts. CIVEN
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Disputed Yield of the failed underground test at In Ekker
Money
- None on record Environmental remediation of the Sahara test sites — No amount is on record.
Court
- Unclear Conseil constitutionnel decision no. 2021-955 QPC: outcome not on record.
Accounts
- Disputed Whether Algeria holds French maps of buried waste and marked zones
Record
- None on record None on record: any court ruling on environmental damage at the Sahara test sites.
- Not measured Not measured: effects on wildlife, vegetation and soil organisms; the IAEA assessment covered doses to people.
- Insufficient Insufficient: the IAEA described its 25 samples as 'somewhat small, in view of the size of the areas', its plutonium samples at Adrar Tikertine as 'not sufficient to be representative', and its data as inadequate for a radioecological study or inventory; it wrote that the lifestyles of nomadic people 'are not thoroughly documented', so likely doses are 'highly uncertain'.
- None on record None on record: precise data on waste from the Sahara campaigns; an OPECST report of 1997, quoted by French deputies, stated that none existed, and the French ministry said in 2023 that the waste is not declared in the national inventory.
- Not disclosed Not disclosed: the cost, the volume of waste removed and the completion date of Algeria's decontamination operation announced on 14 February 2026.
- Not disclosed Not disclosed: a breakdown of CIVEN payments by place of residence.
- Disputed Figures differ: CIVEN's 2024 report gives cumulative court-ordered acceptances of 194 metropolitan, 1 Algeria and 35 French Polynesia (230 in total); its 2025 report gives 314, 1 and 21 for 2010–2024 and a total of 339 including 2025. The figure for Algeria (1) is the same in both.
- None on record None on record: insurance cover or payments.
Did the harm stop?
The last test took place on 16 February 1966. In 1999 the IAEA recorded residual radioactive material at the Gerboise Bleue and Gerboise Blanche ground zero areas and near the E2 tunnel. Algeria began decontamination at Taourirt Tan Afella on 14 February 2026; no volume or completion date is on record.
Who paid?
France paid EUR 102,408,063 to victims through CIVEN in 2010–2025; the share going to residents of Algeria is not broken out, and one claim by a resident of Algeria was accepted by decision. No payment for environmental remediation is on record. Algeria's decontamination was announced as carried out with national capacities, with no cost published.
Sources
Government and regulators
- Written question no. 3511, 'Transparency on military nuclear waste' (answer 28 February 2023)Assemblée nationale · 2023-02-28
- Written questions nos. 31962, 32123, 32125, 32496, 'Waste from France's nuclear tests in Algeria' (answers 22 December 2020)Assemblée nationale · 2020-12-22
- Activity report 2025 (Rapport d'activité 2025)CIVEN · 2026
- Activity report 2024 (Rapport d'activité 2024)CIVEN · 2025
Press and investigations
- Proposal To Declassify Maps And Data Of Colonial Nuclear Explosions In AlgeriaEchorouk Online · 2026-03-02
- Algeria passes law declaring French colonisation a crimeThe Local (AFP) · 2025-12-25
- Algeria approves amended law criminalising French ruleThe New Arab · 2026-03-10
Connected cases
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- International Atomic Energy Agency (International organisation) — here: 1999 fact-finding mission; 2005 report; there: 1998 assessment of radiological conditions at the site
- Nuclear test exposure at Moruroa reported at about ten times official estimate France · date not stated Related matter
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- International Atomic Energy Agency (International organisation) — here: 1999 fact-finding mission; 2005 report; there: Reported on radiation, trenches and fires, per BASE
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- International Atomic Energy Agency (International organisation) — here: 1999 fact-finding mission; 2005 report; there: Reported on damage and radiation, per BASE and NucNet
- Fukushima treated water discharge and Chinese seafood ban Japan · 2023–2025
- International Atomic Energy Agency (International organisation) — here: 1999 fact-finding mission; 2005 report; there: Assessed the discharge plan
- Great Man-Made River Project (Libya) and the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer Libya · 1983–2019
- International Atomic Energy Agency (International organisation) — here: 1999 fact-finding mission; 2005 report; there: Assessment of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System
- Semipalatinsk test site: measured contamination, land reallocation and the Nuclear Safety Zone Kazakhstan · 1949–2026
- International Atomic Energy Agency (International organisation) — here: 1999 fact-finding mission; 2005 report; there: 1998 assessment of radiological conditions
- Strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, 2025 and 2026: IAEA statements on contamination and the Bushehr reactor Iran · 2025–2026
- International Atomic Energy Agency (International organisation) — here: 1999 fact-finding mission; 2005 report; there: Source of statements on contamination and risk
- Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant under Russian control, 2022–2026 Ukraine · 2022–2026
- International Atomic Energy Agency (International organisation) — here: 1999 fact-finding mission; 2005 report; there: Reported on power losses and cooling water, per BASE; staff at the plant since 1 September 2022