Landmines threaten civilians in Sudan and Ethiopia

United Nations officials leading landmine clearance programmes in Ethiopia and Sudan called for increased funding and awareness of explosive contamination during a briefing in New York on March 18th, as reported by Africa News and agencies on March 19th.

They said landmines and unexploded ordnance continue to kill and injure civilians in both countries and are preventing displaced people from returning safely. Children account for a disproportionate share of victims.

In Sudan, Mohammad Sediq Rashid, head of the UN mine action programme, described contamination levels as “alarming”, particularly in urban areas where fighting has taken place.

Khartoum was retaken by the army from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which controlled the city for nearly two years, with the army declaring the capital free of RSF in May 2025.

Explosive remnants are widespread across the city, including in homes, roads, schools and hospitals, and are often buried in rubble. At least seven minefields have been identified in the capital.

Reconstruction and the restoration of services cannot begin until these hazards are cleared.

An estimated 13 million people in Sudan are at risk of injury or death from explosive remnants, as the country already faces contamination from past conflicts, and the current war adds another layer of contamination across densely populated areas.

Similar contamination challenges persist in Ethiopia, where decades of conflict have left large areas affected by unexploded ordnance, and concerns remain over renewed instability.

Rob Syfret, head of the UN Mine Action Programme in Ethiopia, warned that the country risks being overlooked despite ongoing dangers from explosive ordnance.

“Ethiopia at the moment risks becoming the forgotten post-conflict,” he said, adding that neglect could lead to renewed insecurity.

Syfret said at least 1,500 people had been killed or injured by explosive ordnance in the past five years, with more than half of the victims children.

The 2025 Landmine Monitor reported at least 6,279 global casualties from landmines and explosive remnants of war in 2024, the highest number in four years.

Africa News and agencies, Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, United Nations, Maghrebi.org