In a major escalation of Sudan’s grinding civil war, the Rapid Support Forces announced Monday that they have seized full control of the Heglig oil fields and the entirety of West Kordofan—a strategic and economic blow to the Sudanese state amid a conflict that has dragged on since April 2023.
The paramilitary force, widely accused of atrocities and backed by the UAE, claimed its fighters repelled an assault by the Sudanese Armed Forces, forcing soldiers from the army’s 90th Brigade to flee—some reportedly crossing into neighboring countries.
Heglig, located along Sudan’s southern border, hosts the country’s most critical oil processing infrastructure. It is the linchpin for South Sudan’s oil exports, funneled through the Greater Nile Oil Pipeline to Port Sudan. With Juba almost entirely dependent on this route, the loss of Heglig raises alarm for both capitals.
The RSF, seeking to project legitimacy, declared the seizure a “strategic breakthrough,” citing the field’s financial significance and its utility in financing their military campaign.
The group also pledged to protect the infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted production, claiming to uphold a “humanitarian truce”—a hollow gesture from a militia repeatedly documented violating ceasefires and targeting civilians.
SAF troops and oil workers withdrew on Sunday to prevent clashes that could jeopardize the facilities, unnamed government sources confirmed to Reuters. A field source said the retreating soldiers moved into South Sudan.
Since the outbreak of war, South Sudan’s oil exports—formerly between 100,000 and 150,000 barrels per day—have faced recurring disruptions. Heglig alone, under normal conditions, produces around 600,000 barrels daily, making it one of the region’s most valuable revenue sources.
West Kordofan, now also under RSF control according to the group, sits atop one of Sudan’s richest oil basins and functions as a key corridor linking the country to Chad, Libya, and South Sudan. The region is home to Sudan’s largest livestock population and vast acacia forests used to produce gum arabica—resources that form the backbone of a war economy now further destabilized.
After overrunning Darfur in October, the RSF pushed eastward into the Kordofan states. Units have since advanced through Babanusa and surrounding areas, consolidating control over nearly half the country’s territory. Together, Darfur and Kordofan account for one-third of Sudan’s economic output and are home to nearly 30% of its population—now living under RSF domination.
