Sudan reports 51 mine explosions, 23 deaths since war began

July 12, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – At least 23 people have been killed and 51 injured in 51 separate incidents involving landmines and other explosive remnants of war since Sudan’s conflict began last year, a government official said on Saturday.

Both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been accused of laying hundreds of mines in conflict zones to halt enemy advances since fighting erupted on April 15, 2023.

“Fifty-one incidents related to the explosion of mines and remnants of war have been recorded from the outbreak of the conflict until last June,” Major General Khalid Hamdan, director of the National Mine Action Centre, told Sudan Tribune.

The incidents occurred in the states of Khartoum, Blue Nile, and North Kordofan.

The unexploded ordnance poses a significant threat to civilians, particularly in Khartoum, where displaced residents have begun to return to areas that saw heavy fighting.

Hamdan said the centre had received over 831 reports of mines and unexploded ordnance this year, but clearance teams could not respond to alerts from areas outside of government control. In those territories, he said, teams focus on advising residents on how to mark and avoid dangerous areas.

Fourteen demining teams are currently active across the country, Hamdan stated, with seven operating in Khartoum state. He acknowledged that clearance operations in cities were hampered by the presence of buildings and civilians in contaminated areas.

The United Nations funds five of the teams in Khartoum, with the Sudanese government funding the remainder. The centre is coordinating with the U.N. to increase the number of teams, with a potential expansion expected in August, Hamdan added.