25 Oct 2012

Sudan blames Israel for weapons factory explosion

6:01 am on 25 October 2012

The Sudanese government has accused Israel of bombing a munitions factory in the capital, Khartoum, where a huge fire broke out after a number of explosions.

Residents reported seeing aircraft or missiles overhead before the factory explosions on Tuesday.

Sudan's information minister said four aircraft were involved in the attack on the plant and two people were killed.

Sudan has blamed Israel for such attacks in the past, the BBC reports, while Israel believes weapons are being smuggled through the region to Gaza.

The minister said evidence pointing to Israel had been found among remnants of the explosives at the plant, which he said made "traditional" weapons.

In 1998 the US launched a missile attack on a pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum, alleging that it was making materials for chemical weapons.

Sudan denied the allegation, insisting that the US had attacked a factory that manufactured anti-malaria medicines and veterinary products, in defiance of international laws.