HEGLIG, Sudan (Al-Yurae) — Militias aligned with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched an attack Saturday on the Heglig oil fields near Sudan’s border with South Sudan, resulting in several casualties among workers in the area, officials said.
The assault, part of an ongoing RSF campaign to target infrastructure and economic facilities, raises concerns about the stability of the region. Heglig is a strategic oil hub, vital for both Sudan and South Sudan, and plays a key role in the export of South Sudanese oil. Two major oil companies operating in the area have reportedly warned of possible shutdowns due to escalating security threats.
Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack, which also jeopardizes the interests of foreign companies involved in the extraction and export of crude oil. The incident threatens to disrupt oil exports from landlocked South Sudan, which rely on pipelines running through Sudan to international markets. Local sources described the attack as part of a deliberate strategy to cripple economic infrastructure and increase pressure on regional governments.
Officials caution that continued assaults could have severe economic consequences for both nations, already grappling with internal conflict and instability. Regional authorities have urged for increased protection of critical infrastructure and a coordinated response to safeguard international investments tied to the oil sector
