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RSF Attacks Oilfields, Airport in West Kordofan

A man stands by as a fire rages in a livestock market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023, in the aftermath of bombardment by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). (Photo by AFP)
A man stands by as a fire rages in a livestock market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023, in the aftermath of bombardment by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). (Photo by AFP)
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RSF Attacks Oilfields, Airport in West Kordofan

A man stands by as a fire rages in a livestock market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023, in the aftermath of bombardment by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). (Photo by AFP)
A man stands by as a fire rages in a livestock market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023, in the aftermath of bombardment by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). (Photo by AFP)

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said on Monday they had launched attacks on oil-rich West Kordofan province in an attempt to fully seize the province.

The attacks targeted the biggest oilfields in Heglig and Balila and the main airport in the city.

This coincided with another attack on the city of Zalingei, the capital of the state of Central Darfur.

This escalation comes days after Saudi Arabia, the US, the African Union, and IGAD announced resuming negotiations between the Sudanese army and the RSF in Jeddah.

It also comes days after the RSF fully seized the city of Nyala, the capital of the state of South Darfur and the second strategic city in terms of military and economy in western Sudan.

Eyewitnesses reported that the Sudanese Air Force launched intensive raids on the RSF forces in the vicinity of the oilfields and the airport after the withdrawal of civilian workers.

Sources from the region didn’t confirm that the RSF seized the oilfields, and no official comment was made by the army regarding the military operations in West Kordofan.

Local sources reported that the attack started Monday morning.

On RSF's official X account, a statement read that the forces managed to liberate the airport of Balila and made the army forces suffer heavy losses in lives and equipment.

The airport is located 55 km from the city of Al Fula, the capital of West Kordofan State.

Moreover, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum revealed in its most recent data that the Balila oilfield produces around 16,000 barrels per day and is run in partnership with a Chinese company.

 

 

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At Least 8 People are Killed When Passenger Train Slams into Minibus in Egypt

Egyptians look at the crash of two trains that collided near the Khorshid station in Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt August 11, 2017. REUTERS/Osama Nageb
Egyptians look at the crash of two trains that collided near the Khorshid station in Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt August 11, 2017. REUTERS/Osama Nageb
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At Least 8 People are Killed When Passenger Train Slams into Minibus in Egypt

Egyptians look at the crash of two trains that collided near the Khorshid station in Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt August 11, 2017. REUTERS/Osama Nageb
Egyptians look at the crash of two trains that collided near the Khorshid station in Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt August 11, 2017. REUTERS/Osama Nageb

A train slammed into a minibus that was crossing the tracks in an unauthorized location in norther Egypt on Thursday, killing at least eight people and leaving 12 injured, the government said.

The deadly crash took place in the Suez Canal province of Ismailia, the health ministry said. More than a dozen ambulances were sent to the scene, Reuters reported.

The Egyptian railway authority said the passenger train was on its regular route when the collision occurred. The place where the minibus was crossing the railway tracks is not designated for crossing.

Local Egyptian news outlets said the victims, who included children, were all take to East Qantara Central Hospital. One child was reported to be in critical condition.

Train derailments and crashes are common in Egypt, where an aging railway system has also been plagued by mismanagement. Last October, a locomotive crashed into the tail of a Cairo-bound passenger train in southern Egypt, killing at least one person. In September, two passenger trains collided in a Nile Delta city, killing at least three people.

In recent years, the government has announced initiatives to improve its railways. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said in 2018 that some 250 billion Egyptian pounds, or $8.13 billion, would be needed to properly overhaul the neglected rail network.