RSF drones hit Port Sudan on Tuesday

Sudan’s authorities have ordered the stoppage of South Sudan oil exports following series of drone attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on two key oil facilities in Port Sudan.

In a letter dated May 9, Sudan’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum informed his South Sudanese counterpart that he had instructed two operating companies, PETCO and BAPCO, to develop a fast-track plan to shut down the affected facilities.

“The recent wave of drone attacks launched by the RSF and its supporters against civilian infrastructure has targeted oil facilities in Sudan, which is expected to impact Sudan’s ability to complete export operations,” the letter stated.

According to Dr. Naiem, RSF drones attacked PETCO’s Pump Station (PS#5) in Al-Hudi on the morning of May 9, causing damage to the station.

He warned that while maintenance teams are still on-site, there is a high risk of export operations being halted, as this station is vital to the country’s oil exports.

The previous day, Dr. Naiem added, RSF drones attacked a major diesel depot in White Nile state, which supplies diesel to BAPCO for operational use.

“The attacks on the electricity substations, including the one inside the BAPCO MT facility, which directly supplies power to the loading facilities, have resulted in power outages at both marine terminals. This has affected the terminals’ ability to load crude oil simultaneously,” he explained.

These incidents come just two weeks after both Sudan and South Sudan announced the arrival of South Sudanese crude oil at the Port Sudan terminal, awaiting export to international markets.

The Sudanese government has instructed PETCO and BAPCO to prepare a fast-track shutdown plan for the facilities.

The shutdown plan, the Sudanese oil official said will be executed if these attacks continue to jeopardize the operations and undermine the fulfillment of commitments under the AQREM agreement.

“We have instructed both PETCO and BAPCO to deliver a fast-track roadmap to enable us to shut down the facilities. The plan will be set into action if these attacks, which jeopardize these facilities and disable us from carrying out our commitment under the AQREM, continue, concludes Dr. Naiem.

 IMPACT

South Sudan resumed oil production after a year and a half of disruption caused by a damaged pipeline. During this period, the country was unable to generate revenue from oil proceeds.

The shutdown had a significant impact, with the government struggling to pay civil servants’ salaries and provide essential social services.

Should the export be halted, South Sudanese pound could lose value as foreign exchange reserves deplete, and this will worsen the current inflation and an increase in the cost of imported goods.

In addition, the government may have to reduce spending on essential services like health, education, and infrastructure, exacerbating living conditions for the population.