Sudanese engineers said Monday that Rapid Support Forces seized the country’s largest oil field, Heglig, near the southern border, forcing workers to shut down operations and evacuate to South Sudan. The incident took place early on Monday, according to an engineer at the site, and comes amid the ongoing war between the RSF and the Sudanese army.
“This morning, the RSF took control of the field. Our technical teams closed it and stopped production, and the workers were evacuated to South Sudan,” the engineer told AFP from across the border.
The engineer added that the processing plant that handles South Sudan’s oil exports was also closed.
The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum did not immediately comment on the reported acquisition. Heglig, located in Kordofan, is Sudan’s main oil field and a key facility for South Sudan’s oil, which accounts for the majority of the Juba government’s revenue.
The seizure follows repeated accusations by the military that the RSF has attacked Heglig with drones, which previously led authorities to suspend operations in August.
Fighting in Kordofan has intensified in recent weeks as both sides fight for control.
A drone attack in South Kordofan last week, attributed to the RSF, hit a daycare center and a hospital and killed dozens of civilians, including children, according to local officials and the military-aligned Foreign Ministry.
The broader conflict, which began in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced some 12 million. The battle for Kordofan comes as the RSF strengthens its position after expelling army forces from their last stronghold in Darfur in October.
Sudan is now effectively divided: the army controls the north, east and center, while the RSF controls the west and large areas of the south with the support of allied groups.
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