Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Monday that they had captured an airport located west of the capital from the army. Simultaneously, workers at an oilfield were evacuated due to the attack. This situation unfolded as the conflicting parties resumed talks in Saudi Arabia, which were sponsored by the United States and Saudi Arabia.
The RSF revealed that Belila airport, situated in the state of West Kordofan, had been utilized by the army to launch warplanes. As a result of the ongoing fighting, employees at Belila oilfield, responsible for a significant portion of Sudan’s limited and declining oil production, were evacuated on Sunday night.
In recent days, clashes between the two factions have also occurred in the cities of El Obeid and El Fasher. Meanwhile, discussions aiming to establish a lasting ceasefire resumed on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The conflict in Sudan originated from a dispute between the army and the RSF, who had previously shared power following a coup. They clashed due to disagreements over plans for a transition towards elections and the integration of their respective forces.
This war has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis, with approximately 6 million people displaced and thousands killed. The capital, Khartoum, has suffered extensive devastation, while ethnically motivated killings have surged in the western region of Darfur.
Hailing mainly from Darfur, the RSF has been striving to gain control over crucial infrastructure and routes in the western part of the country, with the intention of cutting off army operations.
Last week, the RSF announced the seizure of Nyala, Sudan’s second-largest city and the capital of South Darfur. Despite this, a Nyala resident reported that the army continued to conduct airstrikes, utilizing its primary advantage in the conflict, even as the RSF took over the army’s main base in the city.
Requests for comments from the Sudanese army and oil ministry went unanswered.
Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz, writing by Nafisa Eltahir, editing by Aidan Lewis
