Sudanese authorities have destroyed close to 50,000 explosive remnants of war as part of a nationwide clearance campaign, even as conflict continues to spread dangerous debris across major regions, particularly Khartoum.
Major General Khalid Hamdan, head of the Sudan National Mine Action Center, reported that more than 49,000 explosive devices—including 37,000 large munitions and 12,000 smaller shells—have been safely dismantled so far. Thousands more await disposal in the coming days, especially in and around the capital.
Hamdan revealed that at least 14 people have been killed and 36 others injured in 50 explosions linked to leftover war ordnance across the country. The escalating conflict has rendered many areas, particularly those under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), inaccessible to clearance teams and medical responders.
Khartoum has emerged as one of the most heavily contaminated zones, with army engineering units working to remove landmines allegedly planted by RSF fighters near strategic locations such as the El-Jaili oil refinery, southern Omdurman’s Salha district, and parts of River Nile state.
“Access is severely limited in RSF-held areas, where civilians often cannot report incidents or reach medical facilities,” Hamdan warned.
Currently, seven specialized teams are deployed in Khartoum to clear unexploded ordnance from vital infrastructure, including UN offices, banks, and government buildings. Additional teams, supported by the Ministry of Defense, are working in Gezira, Sennar, Blue Nile, White Nile, and Kordofan states.
In central Sudan’s Gezira state alone, around 8,000 mortar shells have been neutralized.
Hamdan estimated that \$90 million is needed to complete the nationwide demining operation and reduce risks to civilians. He also highlighted severe financial challenges facing the program, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump halted foreign aid. The UN’s mine action office in Port Sudan narrowly avoided closure thanks to emergency funding from Canada.
“The ongoing conflict has made clearance work much more dangerous,” Hamdan said. “Before the war, it was easier to isolate hazardous zones. Now, fighting has spread to densely populated areas, making public awareness and community reporting essential.”
He noted that Sudan had been close to declaring itself mine-free before the renewed conflict undid years of progress. “Today, unexploded ordnance is scattered across multiple states, especially Khartoum, where the violence first broke out,” he said.