South Sudanese troops have entered the Heglig oilfield under a rare tripartite agreement with Sudanese leaders to protect the site after the RSF captured it on December 8. About 3,900 SAF soldiers reportedly crossed into South Sudan and handed over equipment, while a drone strike at Heglig killed dozens, including three South Sudanese soldiers. Heglig processes up to 130,000 barrels per day and contains Block 6; humanitarian and atrocity concerns are rising as fighting shifts to Kordofan.
South Sudan Deploys Forces To Secure Strategic Heglig Oilfield Under Tripartite Pact
Heglig is Sudan’s largest oilfield and also the main processing facility for neighbouring South Sudan [File: Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters]
South Sudanese forces moved into the Heglig oilfield on Wednesday under an unprecedented tripartite arrangement with Sudan's warring parties aimed at protecting a crucial energy hub after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized the site on December 8.
Deployment And Agreement
The deployment followed the RSF capture of Heglig, which prompted units of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to withdraw across the border into South Sudan. Officials say senior-level contacts between Khartoum and Juba secured an understanding to evacuate field personnel, avoid clashes, and prevent sabotage or destruction of the oil infrastructure. Tribal leaders also took part in negotiations.
Tripartite Framework
South Sudan's People’s Defence Forces Chief of Staff Paul Nang said the troops entered under a tripartite agreement involving President Salva Kiir, SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). The pact requires both Sudanese forces to withdraw and tasks South Sudanese troops with maintaining strict neutrality while safeguarding the site.
The primary goal is to completely neutralise the Heglig field from any combat operations because it represents an economic lifeline for both countries, the government said.
Events On The Ground
Unity State officials reported that roughly 3,900 Sudanese soldiers crossed into Rubkona County after evacuating Heglig, handing over tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery to South Sudanese authorities. Thousands of civilians have also fled across the border since Sunday.
The deployment followed a deadly drone strike that targeted RSF fighters at the facility, with local reports saying dozens were killed, including three South Sudanese soldiers. The SAF confirmed using a drone in the engagement, though exact casualty figures remain unclear.
Strategic And Humanitarian Consequences
Heglig hosts a central processing facility that can handle up to 130,000 barrels per day of South Sudanese crude bound for export through Sudanese pipelines, and includes Block 6, Sudan's largest producing field. That strategic value helps explain why SAF reportedly preferred South Sudan to neutralise the area rather than let the RSF control another revenue stream.
Experts warn the situation risks further destabilising the wider Kordofan region. Jan Pospisil, a South Sudan analyst, noted the SAF's reluctance to let the RSF secure additional income and highlighted the RSF's vulnerability to air attacks.
Humanitarian concerns are mounting. Aid groups and UN officials say displacement is increasing as fighting shifts from Darfur to Kordofan. The International Organization for Migration reported more than 1,000 people fled South Kordofan in two days. The UN human rights chief expressed alarm at the risk of atrocities similar to those seen in el-Fasher. The Sudan Doctors Network says the RSF is holding over 19,000 detainees in Darfur prisons, including 73 medical personnel, and reports that cholera and overcrowding are causing deaths linked to medical neglect.
What To Watch Next
Key developments to follow include the durability of the tripartite accord, the security of Heglig's facilities and pipelines, the fate of displaced civilians and detainees, and whether the arrangement sets a precedent for regional management of cross-border security risks tied to oil infrastructure.
