As displaced Sudanese return to cities ravaged by over two years of conflict, they confront a deadly, hidden menace: unexploded ordnance (UXO), landmines, and abandoned munitions scattered across homes, schools, and hospitals.
Mohammad Sediq Rashid, chief of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Sudan, warns the presence of these explosive remnants is a “silent killer” threatening civilians unaware of the risks.
Since fighting erupted in April 2023 between General Abdel Fattah al Burhan-led army and Rapid Support Forces, heavy weaponry has devastated much of Greater Khartoum’s infrastructure.
UNMAS reports widespread contamination with anti-tank mines, grenades, mortars, and bombs.
Rashid revealed that even UN offices and humanitarian compounds require clearance, with personnel advised to avoid entering contaminated buildings until properly secured.
Critical infrastructure such as schools, mosques, hospitals, and roads remain perilously contaminated, amplifying the risk to civilians resuming daily life.
Despite Khartoum’s pre-war population of up to eight million, most fled the conflict zones; many now return, often unaware of the hidden dangers beneath their feet.
UNMAS has launched extensive awareness campaigns through direct education teams and radio broadcasts to warn communities, yet casualties persist. In recent months, dozens have been injured or killed by UXO explosions.
Sudan’s limited mine clearance capacity struggles to cope with urban contamination, prompting calls for international support and expert intervention to address this complex challenge.
Meanwhile, abandoned weapons have fallen into the hands of criminal gangs, further destabilizing security as the police remain severely weakened.
Political analysts urge civilians to avoid returning until authorities declare areas safe, stressing that rebuilding communities is impossible without first securing lives.
As Rashid poignantly notes, forgotten explosive hazards risk becoming Sudan’s quietest, deadliest legacy of war.
