Mines and other unexploded ordnance pose a significant risk to returnees in South Sudan, particularly in Magwi County, on the border with Uganda.
According to a review conducted by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in 2021 in southern Sudan, the aforementioned district contains about 55 cluster munitions out of a total of 130, which were planted during the Sudanese civil war from 1983 to 2005.
Local authorities in South Sudan said that failure to clear mines poses a great threat to the lives of citizens, especially since thousands of people who fled the civil war to Uganda have begun to return.
Jacob Wani, who left for Uganda in 2015 and returned to his village in January, says: “I will not be able to farm on my land. I am sure there are unexploded mines and there are not enough financial resources to rebuild.”
Since 2004, more than 5,000 Sudanese have been killed or injured as a result of the explosion of landmines and munitions, according to UNMAS.
South Sudan and UNMAS had agreed to completely clear the area of mines and other munitions by July 2026.
