A South Sudanese military team deployed to the Heglig oil field in West Kordofan was killed in a drone strike carried out by the General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army on Tuesday.
Authorities in Juba informed officials in Port Sudan that their soldiers had been stationed inside the facility under prior coordination allowing their presence in the contested area.
South Sudanese officials told their Sudanese counterparts that they had also reached a separate arrangement with the Rapid Support Forces to protect the oil field in the coming period.
Neither government has issued an official statement detailing the circumstances of the strike or clarifying the nature of the reported security agreements.
The Council of Ministers of the Constituent Government said the attack caused civilian casualties, including South Sudanese citizens, local community leaders and members of the Rapid Support Forces who were inside the field when the drone hit.
