South Sudan army to secure critical Heglig oilfield in Sudan war spillover

Al JazeeraCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete by Faisal AliDecember 11, 2025 at 08:56 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

In December 2025, South Sudan deployed its military to Sudan's Heglig oilfield, the country's largest and a key processing facility for South Sudanese oil. This unprecedented move followed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) capture of the site, forcing Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) units to retreat into South Sudan. The deployment is based on an agreement between South Sudan, the SAF, and the RSF to protect critical energy infrastructure from Sudan's ongoing civil war. The agreement aims to neutralize the facility and prevent sabotage as fighting intensifies in Sudan's Kordofan region, threatening both countries' primary revenue source. The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces entered Heglig under a "tripartite agreement" requiring both Sudanese forces to withdraw from the area.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) 50% Rapid Support Forces (RSF) 60% Sudan ×370% South Sudan ×480% Heglig oilfield ×290%

Keywords

heglig oilfield 100% south sudan 90% sudan 90% civil war 80% rapid support forces (rsf) 70% energy infrastructure 60% sudanese armed forces (saf) 60% oil and security cooperation 50% tripartite agreement 40%