Sudan says may halt South Sudan oil exports after RSF attacks
Sudan's army-aligned government has told energy firms to prepare to stop handling crude oil from South Sudan, which relies on its neighbour for exports, after attacks on key facilities, according to a letter seen by AFP.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
In the letter dated Friday, the Sudanese energy and petroleum ministry informed its South Sudanese counterpart that "the risk of stoppage of export operations is very high" after a spate of drone attacks blamed on rival paramilitaries.
A key pump station and a fuel depot in army-controlled areas of Sudan were struck this week, the letter said, as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have increasingly targeted government infrastructure across the country, impacting critical electricity and fuel facilities.
The war between the regular army and the RSF since April 2023 has killed tens of thousands, uprooted 13 million and sent ripples through East Africa and beyond.
Landlocked and impoverished, South Sudan's vital oil exports are usually shipped to global markets from
on the Red Sea, with Sudan taking a cut as a transit fee.
Exports via Sudan resumed in January after nearly a year of suspension, following pipeline damage in clashes between the army and the RSF.
Local media in South Sudan estimate the current flow of crude oil at 110,000 barrels per day.
After the most recent drone attacks, Sudan's government has again instructed oil companies to prepare plans to shut down the pipeline.
"The plan will be set into action if these attacks, which jeopardise these facilities and disable us from carrying out our commitment... continue," read the energy ministry's letter, according to a copy provided to AFP on Saturday.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
There was no immediate comment from South Sudanese officials.
The halted exports last year had dramatically dented the economy of the young nation, which took over about three-quarters of the oil reserves from Sudan when it achieved independence in 2011.
South Sudan's oil minister Puot Kang Chol is among allies of vice-president
who were arrested earlier this year in an ongoing rivalry between President Salva Kiir and his deputy Machar, threatening to unravel a fragile peace agreement between the two factions.
Sudan's army has accused Juba of siding with the RSF.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 hours ago
- First Post
Can Pakistan afford China's J-35 fighter jets even at discounted rates, ask netizens
Chinese social media users have slammed their government's move to fast track delivery of 30 J-35A stealth fighter jets to Pakistan at half the price, labelling it as 'financially and strategically reckless' read more Pakistan Air Force J-10C fighter jets perform at a rehearsal ahead of Pakistan's national day parade in Islamabad. Used for representational purposes | File image/AFP Chinese social media users have slammed their government's move to fast track delivery of 30 J-35A stealth fighter jets to Pakistan at half the price, labelling it as 'financially and strategically reckless' According to a Times of India report, as per the deal, which marks China's first export of a fifth-generation combat aircraft, the deliveries will begin as early as August 2025. The decision, however, has left many Chinese citizens baffled and angry, especially as the J-35A, also known as the FC-31, is still undergoing testing and has not even yet been inducted into China's own air force, added the report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Pakistan has also made a lot of fake news. How can it afford to buy it? It hasn't even paid for the J-10,' ToI quoted a user, posting under the handle @Zhejiang from the Yingyang Medical School, as saying. The comment refers to Pakistan's pending payments for earlier J-10C fighter jets purchased from China. Another user under the name @CQL0530 criticised Beijing's production priorities, asked 'China's own production of the J-35 has not yet been built up. How can it be given to them?' Some users showed no restraint. 'Bullshit!' wrote one, as quoted by ET. The phrase '2 more powerful printers are coming,' shared by user Cracked Rose, was interpreted by some as a reference to the government printing more money, or jets, to fund the project. Timing of China-Pak deal draws criticism The announcement of China's deal to supply 30 J-35A stealth fighter jets to Pakistan has faced scrutiny not only over the jet's readiness but also its timing. Coming just days after a terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir's Pahalgam, Indian analysts interpret the deal as China arming Pakistan amid escalating cross-border tensions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Within China, social media users are questioning whether the government is effectively subsidising a military client with limited financial capacity. 'It is more in your interest to spend money on building and purchasing industrial equipment and infra,' ToI quoted one commenter as writing. Concerns also focus on whether China is selling a 'concept jet'— a fighter still in development — presented as a finished product. Although the J-35 is designed to compete with US-made fighters like the F-35, it lacks combat experience or proven operational capabilities. High-risk gamble China previously promoted the J-10CE fighter jet, also supplied to Pakistan, as 'combat-tested,' citing Islamabad's claims that it shot down Indian Rafales during 'Operation Sindoor'. However, these claims remain unverified outside Pakistani media and have been met with skepticism. Attempts to export the J-10CE to countries like Egypt, Brazil, and Uzbekistan have so far been unsuccessful, reported Times of India. Experts attribute this to the jet's reliance on Russian engines — such as the RD-93 and AL-31— which are considered outdated and pose increasing risks amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain uncertainties. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to Times of India, citing reports, Pakistani pilots are already training in China to operate the J-35. However, the Chinese government has yet to release an official statement addressing the backlash or confirming details of the sale, added the report. While India is expected to closely monitor the situation, many in China are questioning who truly benefits from the deal. If finalised, Beijing may present it as a strategic effort to strengthen regional influence. Yet for many ordinary citizens, it increasingly appears to be a high-risk gamble — funded by Chinese taxpayers — on an unfinished aircraft sold to a buyer with a questionable credit history. With inputs from agencies
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
March to Gaza: Tunisia activists launch Gaza-bound convoy in 'symbolic act'
Hundreds of people, mainly Tunisians, launched on Monday (June 9, 2025) a land convoy bound for Gaza, seeking to "break the siege" on the Palestinian territory, activists said. Organisers said the nine-bus convoy was not bringing aid into Gaza, but rather aimed at carrying out a "symbolic act" by breaking the blockade on the territory described by the United Nations as "the hungriest place on Earth". The "Soumoud" convoy, meaning "steadfastness" in Arabic, includes doctors and aims to arrive in Rafah, in southern Gaza, "by the end of the week", activist Jawaher Channa told AFP. It is set to pass through Libya and Egypt, although Cairo has yet to provide passage permits, she added. "We are about a thousand people, and we will have more join us along the way," said Channa, spokeswoman of the Tunisian Coordination of Joint Action for Palestine, the group organising the caravan. "Egypt has not yet given us permission to cross its borders, but we will see what happens when we get there," she said. Channa said the convoy was not set to face issues crossing Libya, "whose people have historically supported the Palestinian cause", despite recent deadly clashes in the country that remains divided between two governments. Algerian, Mauretanian, Moroccan and Libyan activists were also among the group, which is set to travel along the Tunisian and Libyan coasts, before continuing on to Rafah through Egypt. After 21 months of war, Israel is facing mounting international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza to alleviate widespread shortages of food and basic supplies. On June 1, the Madleen aid boat, boarded by activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and European parliament member Franco-Palestinian Rima Hassan, set sail for Gaza from Italy. But on Monday (June 9, 2025) morning Israel intercepted it, preventing it from reaching the Palestinian territory. The UN has warned that the Palestinian territory's entire population is at risk of famine.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
What Ukraine's 'Creative' Spider's Web Drone Attack Taught NATO
Ukraine's "creativity", including its massive "Spider's web" drone attack deep inside Russia, holds profound lessons for Western militaries, the top NATO commander overseeing battlefield innovation told AFP. "What the Ukrainians did in Russia was a Trojan horse -- and the trojan horse was thousands of years ago," French Admiral Pierre Vandier, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, said in an interview. "Today, we see this kind of tactic being reinvented by technical and industrial creativity." Vandier said the operation showed how crucial innovation and adaptation were for victory, as modern warfare changes at lightning speed. "It was a real coup." "We are entering a dynamic era where armies must rely on both major planning but also adaptive planning," the navy commander said. "We will witness continuous innovation where, week by week, month by month or year by year, we will be able to invent things we hadn't anticipated." 'Must act quickly' Faced with the Russian threat, NATO this week adopted new objectives for its defense capabilities to ensure it will be able to repel Moscow. But Western intelligence agencies have warned that the Kremlin is reconstituting its forces at a pace far outstripping NATO and could be ready to attack the alliance in as little as four years. "Time is truly a crucial parameter. We must act quickly," Vandier said. The admiral, who previously commanded France's flagship Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier, said NATO needed to amass the forces to dissuade any adversary from trying an attack. "When you say 'I'm defending myself', you have the weapons to defend. When you say you deter, you have the weapons to deter," he said. "That's what should prevent war -- making the adversary think: "Tomorrow morning, I won't win." NATO countries under pressure from US President Donald Trump are expected to agree a major increase in their defense spending target at a summit in The Hague this month. That should see a dramatic surge in spending on military hardware. But if cheap Ukrainian drones can inflict billions of dollars in damage on Russian bombers, is it still worth investing in vastly expensive systems? "No-one in the military sphere will tell you that we can do without what we'll call traditional equipment," Vandier said. "However, we are certain we need new equipment to complement it." Officials say that over 70 percent of battlefield casualties in Ukraine are caused by drones. But while drones are indispensable in modern warfare, they are not omnipotent. "Today, you won't cross the Atlantic with a 10-meter-long (33-foot-long) drone. You won't easily locate submarines with such tools," Vandier said. "If they accompany your large platforms, you'll be able to achieve much better results at much lower costs." Integrating new technologies The admiral, who works out of NATO's US base in Norfolk, Virginia, said the major challenge was "integrating new technologies and new combat methods, based on what we've witnessed in Ukraine". NATO and Ukraine have established a centre in Poland designed to help the alliance learn lessons from Russia's invasion of its neighbour. Artificial Intelligence and robotics are also increasingly having an impact and are set to help reshape the battlefield. "All modern armies will have piloted and non-piloted capabilities," Vandier said. "It's much more efficient to deliver ammunition with a ground robot than with a squad of soldiers who could face a 155-millimeter (six-inch) shell." This transformation of military capabilities within the alliance, which NATO aims to expand by at least 30 percent over coming years, will come at a significant cost, estimated in hundreds of billions of euros (dollars). Vandier insisted that while the financial effort was "substantial" it was "fully realistic". "Today, we have all the tools. We have the engineering. We have the expertise. We have the technology. So, we need to get started," he said.
