Displaced Sudanese civilians returning to cities ravaged by over two years of brutal conflict are at risk of injury or death from unexploded ordnance (UXO) and landmines, says the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS).

Mohammad Sediq Rashid, chief of UNMAS in Sudan on Wednesday, said abandoned munitions are scattered across urban neighbourhoods, homes, schools, and even hospitals.

“The situation with explosive remnants of war is very, very challenging and very risky, and there should be a proper systematic clearance for the protection of the people,” said Rashid.

Since the outbreak of war in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), heavy weaponry has destroyed much of Sudan’s urban infrastructure, particularly in the Greater Khartoum region.

Caution

"People returning to their areas … will find unexploded ordnance in their homes, on their rooftops, stuck in the walls,” Rashid adds.

More than 20,000 people have been killed and 15 million others displaced in the conflict between the Sudanese army and RSF fighters, according to the UN. However, some researchers estimate the death toll could be as high as 130,000.

“In the last month, we had 24 casualties because of unexploded ordnance and landmine explosions as well. In the first month after Jazeera state became accessible, more than 20 casualties were reported from just one city,” says Rashid.

The UN agency called for the launching of awareness campaigns that alerts the population of Sudan, especially people living in the urban areas who are largely unaware of the risks of unexploded ordnance.