A source in Sudan’s Ministry of Energy and Oil said that Sudan has informed the South Sudanese government that Sudanese authorities have instructed oil companies to begin shutting down the pipeline that transports crude oil from South Sudan to the export ports in Port Sudan, according to Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Sudan.
Sudanese Minister of Energy and Oil, Mohamedain Naim, attributed the decision to drone attacks by the Rapid Support Forces on oil facilities in Sudan, as stated in a letter to his South Sudanese counterpart.
The letter explained that on May 9th, a drone attacked a pumping station in the Al-Hudi area east of Atbara in River Nile State, causing severe damage. A day earlier, another drone targeted a fuel depot in White Nile State.
The letter also indicated that attacks on power stations have caused blackouts affecting the marine terminals’ ability to simultaneously load crude oil. In addition, targeting fuel depots threatens to cause a severe shortage of fuel essential for transportation systems.
Earlier on Sunday, Sudan’s Civil Defense announced it had “completely” contained the fires that broke out at the main oil depots and other sites in Port Sudan, where the government has been based for nearly two years.
Civil Defense Director Othman Atta stated, “We have completely controlled all fires at the strategic depots and other locations in Port Sudan under extremely complex conditions and large petroleum stockpiles,” thanks to a “well-executed action plan and major efforts.”
These attacks have disrupted vital infrastructure, including the main fuel depot, the main power station, Port Sudan’s seaport, and its international airport, which the United Nations describes as a “lifeline for humanitarian operations.”
