Bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled underground detonation of a World War II explosive near Paris on Sunday, an AFP journalist reported, after authorities evacuated more than a thousand residents.

Nearly 800 police cordoned off the site in the northwest suburb of Colombes, where the device was first discovered on April 10.

An AFP journalist heard the explosion around 3:20pm (1320 GMT) as experts detonated the bomb in a two-metre-deep (6.5-foot) pit.

Officials also confirmed the operation had been carried out.

The controlled explosion was ordered after specialists had failed in one bid to remove the detonator from the explosive, which measured more than one metre in length, excluding the tail section.

Footage of the operation showed rusted metal fragments at the bottom of a sand pit, reinforced with thick timber planks and concrete walls.

Residents within a 450-metre radius were told early Sunday to move to local reception centres. Authorities expect to allow them back into their homes later in the day. Some local roads were closed to traffic and public transport.

Local official Alexandre Brugere on Thursday had described the operation as “risky” and requiring a “high level of preparation”.

Unexploded World War II ordnance is still found across Europe, particularly in Germany where bombs are regularly discovered on construction sites, 80 years after the conflict ended.

In 2025, the discovery of a 500-kilogramme wartime bomb halted traffic at the Paris Gare du Nord station, France’s busiest railway terminus.

Jennifer Aniston is sending her love to her ex-husband as he embarks on a new chapter.

The Friends alum quietly showed support for Justin Theroux after he welcomed his first child with wife Nicole Brydon Bloom, liking the couple’s baby announcement on Instagram. Also celebrating the news was Aniston’s longtime friend and Friends costar Courteney Cox.

Theroux and Bloom shared the news on April 18 with a black-and-white photo of the actor holding their newborn son. “He’s here… we are so in love,” the pair captioned the post, marking a major milestone for the couple, who tied the knot just last year.

Aniston’s subtle gesture speaks to the bond she and Theroux have maintained since their 2018 split. The former couple, who met in 2007 and later reconnected while filming Wanderlust, were married in 2015 before announcing their separation three years later.

Despite the breakup, they’ve remained close over the years, often supporting each other publicly.

Theroux himself addressed their dynamic in a past interview, saying, “She is still very dear to me,” highlighting the mutual respect that continues to define their relationship.

He further expressed his happiness when The Morning Show star went public with her relationship with Jim Curtis in 2025 by liking the couple’s Instagram post.