A rusted 1998-era Antonov shell (pictured) detonated on Easter Sunday in the Rumpkem area, killing three children and two head of livestock. Eye Radio cannot independently confirm the specific type of ordnance. Photo Credit: Pading / Eye Radio

An alleged 1998-era Antonov shell, a lethal remnant of the Second Sudanese Civil War, exploded on Easter Sunday in Ulang County, killing three children and two head of livestock.

The victims—siblings Juach and Nhial Gatjiek Thoar and their cousin Bol Deng—died instantly after the unexploded ordnance (UXO) detonated in a grazing field, a family member told Eye Radio.

He stated that the victims were grazing cattle in the Rumpkem area of Upper Nile State when they encountered the unexploded ordnance (UXO).

Pading says the children likely mistook the rusted shell for a harmless piece of scrap metal. Hidden beneath a layer of straw for over 25 years, the device detonated when the children sat on it.

“This incident occurred on April 5th when an Antonov shell, which had been in the area since 1998 during the civil war, exploded,” Pading said. “The children thought it was just a piece of iron. They sat on it because it was covered with straw.”

The explosion, which also killed a cow and a sheep, serves as a grim reminder of the “silent killers” left behind by South Sudan’s long struggle for independence. While the guns of that specific era have fallen silent, the physical scars of the conflict continue to claim lives in rural communities.

The shell is believed to have been dropped during aerial bombardments in 1998. Such unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains highly volatile; even after decades in the dirt, the chemical fuses can be triggered by heat, pressure, or movement.

The tragedy has sparked an urgent appeal from the grieving family for international and national intervention.

They are calling on the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), the National Mine Action Authority (NMAA), and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) to sweep the area for further explosives.

“We are calling on these organizations to investigate the incident and remove other unexploded ordnance in the area,” the family stated, fearing that more devices may still be buried in the grazing lands used by local herders.

The 1998 shell remains a tragic testament to the enduring lethality of South Sudan’s history, where the debris of past wars continues to threaten the country’s future.

Eye Radio cannot independently confirm the specific type of ordnance.