Explosion, Arab nationals held in Sudanese capital

An explosion occurred in a residential building in Arkaweet district in south-east Khartoum on Sunday morning. Four Arab nationals were reportedly detained.

The apartment where the explosion took place was inhabited by holders of Arab nationalities. One of them was injured and taken to a hospital, an eyewitness reported to this station on Sunday.

“Police and security agents arrived quickly at the place. They checked the four floors of the building, where many apartments are rented to Arab nationals, and arrested at least four Arabs from the apartment where the blast took place,” he said.

“People say that a group of Arabs from two different countries were working on the bombs, when one detonated. This led to the amputation of the hand of one of them.”

In a statement late on Sunday evening, the Khartoum police said that a police officer stationed in Arkaweet reported “a small blast” in the morning.

According to the statement, a police force backed by forensic and explosive specialists, and accompanied by members of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) stormed the apartment. They found local materials used in making crude explosives, in addition to foreign passports.

It appeared from the investigations that one of the suspects began to work on an explosive device, but it detonated. He sought treatment for his minor injuries in a nearby hospital, but the medics at the hospital told him they had to inform the police first. He then left without having been treated.

The police further said that the seized materials are not extremely explosive.