One child died, six fell sick by explosive remnants in North Darfur

July 24, 2016 (EL-FASHER) – A child had died and six others fell sick on Friday after eating liquid substance from explosive remnants of war in Kalmando area, North Darfur state.

Commissioner of Kalmando locality Al-Hadi Ahmed Hassan told Sudan Tribune that several young children stumbled across an ERW containing yellow substance while they were playing near a former army camp, saying they ate the substance out of curiosity which led to the death of a child by the name of Mustafa Asil.

He added that six others fell sick including 7-year old Haneen Ismail, 8-year old Haytham Abdalla abdel-Rahman, 6-year old Yazid Ahmed Mohamed Adam, 6-year old Murtada Hamid Ahmed Ali and 3-year old Abu Zar Ishaq Ismail.

Hassan pointed that the children suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting after they ate the yellow substance and were rushed to Wada’a Hospital in Kalmando and from there to El-Fasher Teaching Hospital, saying Asil died on the way to the hospital.

The armed conflict between government forces and Darfur rebels which has been ongoing since 2003 has left huge numbers of Unexploded Ordinances (UXOs) across Darfur region. Children are the main victims of UXOs.

On July 8th, two children were killed and their sister was seriously wounded by a UXO in Malit locality, 60 km north of North Darfur capital, El-Fasher.

Last June, a child was killed and two others were wounded when an RPG-7 grenade detonated in Zam Zam IDPs camp, 15 km south of El Fasher.

Also, last March, two nomadic boys were killed and two others were wounded when an UXO detonated in Um Sadir village, 60 km north Kutum Locality in North Darfur state.

Several voluntary organizations are making efforts to raise awareness of the dangers of the UXOs and the neglected military equipments in Darfur.

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