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The Zambia Army has issued a strong warning to scrap metal dealers to exercise caution when handling materials that could include unexploded ordinances (UXOs).
Army spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sydney Mwewa, expressed concern over the rising risk posed by UXOs inadvertently ending up in the hands of scrap collectors.
In a statement from Lusaka on Sunday, Mwewa warned that improper handling of such materials could lead to severe accidents, injuries, or fatalities.
He urged both scrap metal dealers and the public to remain vigilant when collecting and processing scrap, emphasizing that UXOs, including mortar shells, can be deadly if mishandled.
“Recently, two men in Kapiri Mposhi sustained injuries after mishandling explosives they believed to be ordinary scrap,” Mwewa stated.
He noted a recent discovery of various-sized mortar shells in sacks at a Kapiri Mposhi dump site, calling it a significant hazard to the local community.
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Mwewa emphasized the need for the public to report any UXO sightings to military or police authorities.
“The public should be aware that landmines and other explosive remnants entered Zambia between the 1960s and 1990s due to activities by neighboring armed forces and armed non-state actors,” he explained.
Mwewa added that the Zambia Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with the Zambia Mine Action Centre (ZMAC), had conducted extensive demining and explosive ordnance disposal operations over the years, successfully clearing nearly all affected areas and committing to respond to future cases.
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