# Algeria Starts New Nuclear Decontamination Push at Former French Test Tunnel in the South

*Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 8:05 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-11-01T20:05:08.102Z (2h ago)
**Category**: geopolitics | **Region**: Africa
**Importance**: 7/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/22187.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: Algeria’s Defence Ministry says it has launched a new operation to decontaminate the Béryl E2 nuclear test tunnel in the south of the country, one of the sites used for French nuclear experiments. Teams are identifying radioactive zones, collecting nuclear waste and sealing it in specialised concrete containers.

Algeria is moving ahead with a fresh effort to deal with radioactive contamination left at one of the sites used for French nuclear tests.

The Defence Ministry has announced that a new decontamination operation is under way in the “Béryl E2” nuclear test tunnel in southern Algeria. The tunnel was part of the infrastructure used when France carried out nuclear tests in the country.

According to the ministry, the mission involves three main tasks: identifying radioactive zones inside the tunnel complex, collecting nuclear waste found there, and placing that waste in specially designed concrete containers for storage.

Mapping radiation levels is meant to pinpoint the worst‑affected areas so that crews can focus protective measures and removal work. Gathering contaminated material and sealing it in engineered containers aims to reduce the risk of further spread into surrounding soil or water.

In its statement, the ministry also noted that France “continues” certain unspecified positions or practices related to these legacy sites, signalling that Algerian authorities see the clean‑up as connected to a broader, unresolved dispute with Paris over responsibility for the long‑term consequences of the tests.

For people living in Algeria’s south, the work at Béryl E2 speaks to long‑standing concerns about the health and environmental impact of past nuclear activity in the region. Questions about exposure risks, contaminated scrap and safe land use have persisted for years.

The operation will draw attention to how much radioactive material is recovered, how it is stored and what, if any, monitoring of local health conditions is carried out.

Any detailed French response—such as offers of technical assistance, funding or new talks on nuclear legacies—would indicate whether Paris is prepared to revisit the issue as Algeria steps up its own remediation efforts at Béryl E2.