Sudan: 50,000 Explosive Remnants of War Detonated

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The Sudan National Mine Action Center has completed the controlled detonation of 50,000 explosive remnants of war, along with a number of anti-tank mines and large quantities of small arms ammunition.

Major General Khalid Hamdan, the Center’s director, said in a press briefing that the items destroyed were those collected over recent months, stressing that clearance operations to collect and neutralize additional remnants are ongoing.

He noted that all operations were carried out under strict safety procedures to protect personnel, while civilians were barred from approaching the sites to ensure their safety. Hamdan also renewed his appeal to the public not to handle any suspicious items and to report them immediately to the authorities.

The disposal campaign began on August 16.

According to official data, in 2024 the Center recorded 59 casualties in 28 incidents caused by explosive remnants of war across several Sudanese states, including Khartoum, Gezira, Sennar, North Kordofan (Um Rawaba), and the Blue Nile region. The toll included 14 deaths and 45 injuries.

Before the current conflict erupted in April 2023, Sudan had been on the verge of declaring itself free of explosive remnants of war. However, the ongoing war has led to the spread of contamination into new areas, particularly urban centers, posing an even greater threat to civilians.