One of three Darfur child bomb victims dies, two cling to life

The nine-year-old Khaled Isa Mohamed has died of severe head wounds he received last Sunday when a bomb he and two friends found at a roadside in North Darfur detonated. As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, Khaled, along with the sisters Amina Abdulah Salem (12), and Hawa Abdulah Salem (10) found the bomb and began to play with it, when it exploded. The bomb is a suspected remnant of repeated aerial bombardments of the area. Amina’s hand was blown-off along with suffering severe head wounds. Hawa also lost a hand, and has multiple wounds over the rest of her body. Both sisters are currently fighting for their lives in the care of traditional healers. Witnesses say that none of the children have been able to receive any formal medical attention, as the roads in the area are all controlled by militias. They appealed to Unamid to provide a safe transfer for the two young survivors to hospital in Kutum or El Fasher so that they may receive proper medical attention. Years of conflict have left Darfur littered with potentially deadly explosives and munitions (UXO). Radio Dabanga appeals to listeners in East Jebel Marra and throughout Darfur (and elsewhere in our reception area) not to touch any ‘unexploded’ grenades or other ammunition found in the field. Mark its position clearly to alert others, and report it immediately to a camp sheikh, Unamid and/or the local police. File photo: 30 January 2014. El Fasher: A display of ordnance disposals at the Unamid headquarters in El Fasher, North Darfur – just a tiny sample of debris of war that litters Darfur (Albert González Farran / Unamid) Related: Three Darfur children maimed after playing with bomb (16 April 2014)One killed, two brothers maimed by grenade in East Darfur (29 August 2013)Nine Darfuri children injured by bomb (28 Jun 2013)