In Ekker series, French nuclear tests

In Ekker was a series of 13 underground nuclear tests and five complementary subcritical atmospheric experiments by France between November 1961 and February 1966. The bombs were detonated at the Oasis Military Experiments Centre (Centre d'expérimentation militaire des oasis ) also named CEMO near In Ekker, French Algeria at the Tan Afella in the Hoggar Mountains, by the Nuclear Experiments Operational Group (GOEN), a unit of the Joint Special Weapons Command. At the beginning of the test series, the area was controlled by France as part of French Algeria, which was in the midst of its war of independence. While Algeria won its independence in 1962, the tests were controversially allowed to continue until 1966 as part of the peace treaty.

The series saw the explosion of the first AN-11/21 bombs and was followed by the 1966–1970 series. The tests remain controversial for their continued impact on the region.

Codenames
The 13 underground operations were named after jewel stones, while the 5 AN-11/21 bombs tests were designated as Pollen I, Pollen Rose, Pollen Rouge, Pollen Safran and Pollen Jonquille.