Sudanese army, RSF trade blame for fires at Khartoum refinery

The Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) yesterday accused each other of attacking the Khartoum refinery in Al-Jaili, Reuters reported.

“The terrorist militia of [RSF Commander] Al-Dagalo deliberately set fire to the Khartoum refinery in Al-Jaili this morning in a desperate attempt to destroy the infrastructures of this country, after despairing of achieving its illusions of seizing its resources and land,” the Sudanese army said in a post on X.

The army reiterated its determination to “pursue the Rapid Support militia everywhere until every inch of the country is cleansed.”

Meanwhile, the RSF said the army launched air strikes on the refinery.

“The ongoing aerial bombardment of the refinery, the latest of which was this morning, which led to its destruction, represents a full-fledged war crime,” the RSF said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the army and allied forces recaptured the state capital Wad Madani from the RSF, a strategic city that could mark a turning point in the ethnic violence that has caused the world’s largest internal displacement crisis.

On Wednesday, the army launched a large-scale attack on northern Bahri city and reportedly took control of Al-Jaili town along with areas like Kabashi and Al-Suqay, according to eyewitnesses and local media.

Also on Wednesday, the RSF issued a brief statement claiming it had repelled an attack by the army on Al-Jaili refinery.

The Al-Jaili is Sudan’s largest oil refining facility and was established in the 1990s. It is located north of Bahri city and has been under RSF control since fighting broke out mid-April 2023.

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