South Sudanese authorities announced the signing of a tripartite agreement with the two warring Sudanese armed factions, granting their national forces security control of the Heglig oilfield. This facility is considered vital for the export of South Sudanese crude oil, which is transported through Sudan to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
An essential infrastructure in a high-risk zone
The Heglig oilfield, located on the border between South Sudan and Sudan’s Kordofan region, has been exposed to heightened instability since the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of the entire Darfur region in October. This site houses the main processing facility for South Sudan’s oil, and the landlocked country remains dependent on Sudan’s pipeline network to export its crude.
South Sudan government spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny stated that an agreement was reached between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and the RSF. The agreement grants the SSPDF the lead role in securing the Heglig oilfield amid “rising tensions” in the border region.
Ongoing clashes near the oil platform
The RSF claimed they seized control of Heglig following the withdrawal of Sudanese army troops. According to authorities in Juba, some Sudanese soldiers fled to South Sudan, where they reportedly surrendered their weapons. No operational details of the agreement’s implementation were disclosed.
The RSF also accused the Sudanese army of launching a drone strike on the oilfield earlier this week, allegedly killing dozens of people and damaging vital infrastructure. These claims could not be independently verified.
A strategic asset for South Sudan
Following its independence in 2011, South Sudan inherited around 75% of the pre-secession Sudan’s oil reserves, but it remains heavily reliant on its northern neighbour’s infrastructure to export its production. Any disruption in the Heglig region presents an immediate economic risk for Juba, whose revenue largely depends on crude exports.
The civil war that has opposed the Sudanese regular army and the paramilitary forces since 2023 has already killed tens of thousands of people and displaced over 12 million inhabitants. The conflict has also severely damaged energy and logistics infrastructure across several regions in Sudan.
