The Sudanese government has ordered an emergency shutdown of the vital Heglig oil facility, a move that threatens to halt a significant portion of South Sudan’s oil exports. The decision, communicated in a letter to its South Sudanese counterpart, comes after a series of drone attacks that Sudan has blamed on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Reuters reported.
According to a letter from Sudan’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, dated August 30, the shutdown was initiated after a drone attack on the Heglig Operations Basecamp and its adjacent airport in the early hours of Saturday.
The ministry stated that the attack damaged the airport terminal and made it impossible to ensure the safety of personnel; marking the second such drone strike within a week, with an earlier attack on August 26 reportedly killing five people and injuring seven.
The Heglig facility is a crucial hub, processing and transporting crude oil not only from Sudan but also from its landlocked neighbor, South Sudan.
Over 80% to as high as 98% of South Sudan’s government revenues are dependent on this oil, which is exported through pipelines that run through Sudanese territory to a port on the Red Sea.
A previous pipeline shutdown which carried 70% of South Sudan’s oil led to sharp drop in oil exports and contraction of the country’s GDP. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) report from late 2024 highlights the devastating effects led to a real GDP growth close to -6% for the fiscal year 2023/24.
However, the government’s letter stressed the civilian nature of the basecamp, claiming there was no military presence in the area and that the ongoing attacks endanger non-combatants and essential infrastructure. The RSF has not yet publicly commented on the allegations.
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has had a devastating impact on the country’s infrastructure and economy.
Meanwhile, targeting of the Heglig facility represents a new escalation, directly threatening the economic lifeline of both Sudan and South Sudan. The two governments have pledged continued coordination on the issue, but the shutdown marks a major setback for the African nations already facing deep economic crises.
