Sudan: RSF claims takeover of Heglig oil field in South Kordofan

The paramilitary group claimed on Monday that it had taken control of the strategically important oil field at the border with South Sudan. Heglig is also a key source of revenue for Juba, as it houses its main oil processing facility.

It's yet another consequence of the civil war in Sudan: the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces claimed that it had taken control of the Heglig oil field in South Kordofan province on Monday.

According to press agency reports, the oil workers and security forces at the oil field fled into neighbouring South Sudan during the attack.

The oil field is of strategic importance for Sudan, as it is in one out of two key oil production regions in the country. The second oil field, Block 6, was operated by China since the 1990s, but has also come under control of the RSF during the civil war.

In addition to its importance for Khartoum, Heglig represents a significant part of state revenue for South Sudan: it houses the main oil processing facility for South Sudan, as Juba can export oil only through its neighbour's territory due to a lack of other pipelines.

Fighting in the ongoing civil war between the Sudanese armed forces and the RSF shifted to the Kordofan region in recent months, where the Sudanese armed forces have experienced setbacks in combating the RSF.

This is despite the RSF being largely on the defensive since losing control of Khartoum in spring 2025.