Algiers – As Algeria marked the 71st anniversary of the outbreak of its liberation revolution, a senior former official launched a searing condemnation of France’s colonial past, accusing Paris of committing horrific atrocities with the intent to “exterminate” the Algerian people and of using banned weapons, including nuclear arms, in the Sahara.

The stark accusations came from Mousa Boudhan, a former member of Algeria’s Constitutional Council, in an interview with Sputnik news agency. His comments underscored the deep, unhealed wounds from 132 years of French colonial rule and a brutal eight-year war for independence.

“France committed horrible atrocities against Algeria, seeking by all means to exterminate its people,” Boudhan stated. He pointed to a particularly dark chapter often cited by Algerian historians: France’s nuclear testing program in the early 1960s.

“Paris tried to erase Algerian identity by using internationally prohibited weapons, such as nuclear weapons in the Algerian Sahara,” Boudhan told Sputnik. He emphasized the lasting generational impact of these tests, reminding the world that “even today, the inhabitants of southern Algeria are born with aftereffects.”

The struggle against French colonial domination, known as the Algerian Revolution, began on November 1, 1954, and concluded with hard-won independence on July 5, 1962. The conflict was characterized by its extreme violence and has left a complex legacy of trauma and resilience.

Beyond acknowledging the historical crimes, Boudhan was unequivocal in his demand for accountability. He insisted that France must “apologize for everything it did over the course of 130 years,” a call that resonates deeply in a nation where the scars of colonization remain a central part of the national narrative.

Reflecting on the significance of the revolution, Boudhan positioned it not merely as a national historical event, but as a beacon of hope for oppressed peoples globally. He described the Algerian Revolution as “a source of inspiration for all Arab peoples and all oppressed peoples, such as the Palestinian people,” drawing a direct line from Algeria’s past struggle to contemporary fights for liberation.

The 71st anniversary was commemorated across the nation’s 58 provinces with official and public ceremonies. The events featured a range of political, cultural, and artistic activities tailored to honor the memory of the revolutionaries.

On Saturday, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune presided over the main festivities, reviewing a military parade and leading a medal ceremony, reinforcing the day’s significance as a cornerstone of modern Algerian identity. The commemorations serve as an annual reminder of the price of freedom and the ongoing quest for historical justice.