A loud explosion was reported on Friday in the military-controlled Sudanese capital Khartoum, with authorities saying it was caused by a landmine left behind from the ongoing war.
An AFP journalist in neighbouring Omdurman, which lies across the Nile, said a single blast was heard coming from central Khartoum. Residents in the city centre also reported a “loud explosion,” though there were no immediate signs of fire or smoke.
Sudan’s police said the blast occurred in the Burri neighbourhood in eastern Khartoum and was triggered by an unexploded landmine. According to authorities, the device detonated after residents set fire to waste in the area. No casualties or damage were reported.
The Burri district is located close to several strategic and military installations, including the General Command headquarters and Khartoum International Airport.
The United Nations has previously warned that Khartoum remains heavily contaminated with unexploded ordnance following months of intense fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Many of the devices are believed to have been left behind during the early stages of the conflict, when RSF fighters seized parts of the capital.
The city has seen relative calm since the army regained control last year, allowing some sense of normalcy to return and prompting the return of an estimated 1.7 million displaced residents.
However, sporadic drone strikes by both the army and the RSF have continued in other parts of Sudan, targeting military positions and civilian infrastructure.
The wider conflict, which began in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced more than 11 million, and created what the United Nations describes as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
