Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control early Monday of the strategic Heglig oil field in West Kordofan State, in a new escalation of the ongoing conflict with the Sudanese army.
Local sources reported that RSF fighters stormed the oil site near the South Sudan border and clashed with troops from the army’s 90th Infantry Brigade, triggering heavy fighting and causing casualties.
An engineer at the site confirmed that the facility had been shut down and staff evacuated to South Sudan.
Heglig is Sudan’s largest oil field and serves as a vital artery for exporting South Sudanese crude through Port Sudan.
The takeover comes weeks after the RSF seized control of the Darfur region in western Sudan.
A military source said the Sudanese army withdrew from the field “to prevent damage to the oil infrastructure,” confirming the evacuation of civilian workers and activation of safety protocols at the site.
