Algeria, Special Weapons Sections
8.4
This documentary by director Claire Billet and historian Christophe Lafaye details the massive and systematic use of chemical weapons during the Algerian War. Algerian fighters and civilians, sheltering in caves, were gassed by "special weapons sections" of the French army. The gas identified on military documents is CN2D, whose widespread use forced insurgents to flee "treated" sites, at the risk of dying there. The method is reminiscent of the "enfumades" used by the French expeditionary force during the conquest of Algeria in the 19th century. Between 8,000 and 10,000 such operations are believed to have taken place on Algerian soil between 1956 and 1962. This historical aspect is little known due to the difficulty of accessing archives, many of which are still classified, raising questions about memory, historical truth, and justice.
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Cast
5 people
Claire Billet Director · Christophe Lafaye Writer Yann Coquart Editor
First release March 12, 2025 · Produced in France · Languages Arabic, French
Production
France Télévisions
Production
Solent Production
Production
France
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Algérie, Sections Armes Spéciales
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
Arabic · French
Release dates
Algeria · March 12, 2025
TV
No release date listed for United States.
France
March 13, 2025 · Digital · France•tv
June 8, 2025 · TV · France•5
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