Unexploded bombs found in children's hands at Nyakuron West in Juba. (Photo: Awan Moses)

The chairperson of National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) encourages the public to be cautious of and report any suspected unexploded ordnance (UXO) in their communities.

Jurkuch Barach made the remarks a month after Eye Radio reported the discovery of unexploded remnants of war in Juba’s Nyakuron West suburb.

Local resident Majeed Baba said he found three children playing with the two rusted mortar shells that they discovered behind a wall.

The government and UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) later extracted the unexploded ordinance found near a house in the area.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s flagship Dawn Show on Monday, Jurkuch said mine clearance is a collective responsibility.

“Report whatever object you get, you are not sure of, don’t touch, don’t play with it. You report it to us and surely mine clearance will do to you, or your life will be safe if you report it to us,” he said.

“So, mine clearance is the responsibility of each and every person in the country, so let us cooperate so that we fight this war together.”

Zehrudin Sukanovic, the head of Project Unit in the United Nations Mine Action Service in the country, said the UNMAS has since cleared and destroyed many explosive ordinances across the country.

“Together with national mine action authority, we have cleared 1,110 square kilometers of land in South Sudan, destroyed 1 million 350 explosive ordinance items up to date,” he said.

“It was 1 item in 2018 and we are going to destroy much more as we continue with our joint efforts in clearing the country from explosive ordinance.”

Landmines and remnants of war are explosive devices designed to be detonated by the presence, proximity, or contact of a person.

It is placed under or on the ground and may be dormant for years and even decades until a person or animal triggers their detonating mechanism.

According to reports, the entire area of South Sudan, which was once a war zone, is still covered with an unknown number of landmines and other explosive remnants of war.

The landmines reportedly continue to hinder movement, discourage investors and frighten returning refugees.