RSF seizes Belila Airport in West Kordofan State
October 30, 2023 (AL-FULA) – On Monday, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declared their successful takeover of Belila Airport in West Kordofan State.
Situated 55 kilometres southwest of Al-Fula, the capital of West Kordofan State, Belila is home to an oil field that, prior to the outbreak of war, was producing approximately 22,000 barrels of oil daily. However, production has been severely hampered over the last seven months.
In an official statement, the RSF spokesperson asserted that they had “liberated Belila Airport in West Kordofan State with great success, resulting in significant casualties and equipment losses for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their former regime extremist supporters.”
The spokesperson accused the army of repurposing Belila Airport from an oil company service airport into a military installation for launching attacks on cities, damaging infrastructure, and harming innocent civilians.
Eyewitnesses who spoke with Sudan Tribune disclosed that the RSF’s assault on Belila was executed with a substantial force led by Major Hussein Barshim. They also mentioned that the RSF had tightened their control over the primary processing unit in the oil field, looting several vehicles and company headquarters, which they subsequently set ablaze.
Barshim is the commander of a local militia that had been active in oil production sites within West Kordofan state. Following the war, he emerged within the RSF with the rank of major, leading a group of soldiers. He was assigned the responsibility of overseeing military operations in the North and West Kordofan states.
The Sudanese army did not issue a statement about the attack.
RSF fighters have shared videos depicting their presence at the airport.
Reassurance to oil companies
In a separate statement, the RSF emphasized that the primary objective of their military operation was to prevent the army from using Belila Airport as a military base for launching air attacks on innocent civilians and public infrastructure.
“We want to provide assurance to the oil companies operating in the Belila fields that our forces are stationed within their facilities and have no involvement with either the airport or the oil fields. They are encouraged to continue their operations, which ultimately contribute to the welfare of the Sudanese people.”
The RSF spokesperson said that they are cognizant of the fact that the revenues from the oil industry do not directly benefit the state treasury in a manner that significantly aids the Sudanese people. Nonetheless, he added that they were determined not to furnish the army with a pretext to subject the battle-fatigued civilians to hunger and hardship.
(ST)