UXO blast kills young North Darfur camel herder

The detonation of an item of unexploded ordnance has killed a 14-year-old herder as he grazed his camels in North Darfur on Thursday.

A relative of the dead child told Radio Dabanga that El Fadel Ibrahim Saleh was grazing his camels at Khor Mali west of Tabit in North Darfur.

The suspected grenade, which was buried in the sand, was triggered by one of the camels.

The boy and two camels died instantly.

Years of conflict have left Darfur and other war-torn areas of Sudan littered with unexploded ordnance (UXO). Efforts are underway to attempt to clear some areas, but it is suspected that many more unexploded grenades and munitions lie buried in the sands of Darfur.

Just this week, the West Darfur government declared Foro Baranga locality ‘free of landmines and unexploded objects’ after an engineering team of El Wehdat National Organisation conducted a comprehensive survey of the locality during which more than 260 war remnants were found.

Radio Dabanga appeals to listeners throughout the region (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 elder, Unamid and/or the local police.