Bombing destroys 60% of Sudan's main oil refinery

Sudan's main oil refinery, located in the Jelei area north of Khartoum, was subjected to heavy bombing on Friday, amid reports of severe damage to the main transformers, storage tanks and oil pipelines.

This is the fifth time the refinery has been bombed since the outbreak of war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023.

The two sides exchanged responsibility for the latest bombing operation, and reports say that it destroyed more than 60 percent of the refinery's facilities, which Sudan relied on to cover most of its oil needs.

Rapid Support platforms said that the army's warplanes launched intensive air strikes targeting several sites around the refinery, which has been controlled by the Rapid Support Forces for months. On the other hand, army platforms accused the Rapid Support Forces of blowing up the refinery.

The refinery is located in the Jelei area on the main road leading to the city of Shendi in River Nile State.

The Jelei refinery is the largest in Sudan, producing about 100,000 barrels per day and meeting most of the country's refined oil needs. The surplus is exported via the Bashir port on the Red Sea, via a 1,610-kilometre pipeline.