DUBAI: An oil tanker that burned for weeks in the Red Sea and threatened a massive oil spill has been “successfully” salvaged, a security firm said Friday.
The Sounion had been a disaster in waiting in the waterway, with 1 million barrels of crude oil aboard that had been struck and later sabotaged with explosives by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi militia. It took months for salvagers to tow the vessel away, extinguish the fires and offload the remaining crude oil.
The Houthis initially attacked the Greek-flagged Sounion tanker on Aug. 21 with small arms fire, projectiles and a drone boat. A French destroyer operating as part of Operation Aspides rescued its crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, after they abandoned the vessel and took them to nearby Djibouti.
The Houthis later released footage showing they planted explosives on board the Sounion and ignited them in a propaganda video, something the militia have done before in their campaign.
The Houthis have targeted some 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October 2023. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have included Western military vessels as well.
The Houthis maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
Tanker hit by Yemen militia that threatened Red Sea spill has been salvaged
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Tanker hit by Yemen militia that threatened Red Sea spill has been salvaged
- The Sounion had been a disaster in waiting in the waterway, with 1 million barrels of crude oil aboard
- The Houthis have targeted some 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started
Military drone attack on Sudan oil field kills dozens and threatens South Sudan’s economic lifeline
- RSF said the oil field in Heglig was attacked a day after they seized the facility near the border with South Sudan
- South Sudanese soldiers were among the dead in the attack by an Akinci drone
JUBA: Dozens of people were killed Tuesday evening in a drone strike near Sudan’s largest oil processing facility carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces, according to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The RSF, which has been fighting Sudan’s military since 2023, said the oil field in Heglig was attacked a day after the RSF seized the facility near the border with South Sudan.
Both sides told The Associated Press that the exact number of dead and wounded could not immediately be confirmed. Local news outlets reported seven tribal leaders and “dozens” of RSF troopers were killed.
South Sudanese soldiers were among the dead in the attack by an Akinci drone, according to the RSF, which condemned the attack as a violation of international law.
Two Sudanese military officials confirmed the drone strike, which they said targeted RSF fighters.
The government of South Sudan’s Unity State confirmed three South Sudanese soldiers were killed. A South Sudanese solider, who witnessed the strike and spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak, estimated 25 people were killed.
South Sudanese commander Johnson Olony said in a statement that South Sudanese forces may have been sent to secure Heglig after its capture. South Sudan’s military spokesperson declined to comment.
South Sudan relies entirely on Sudanese pipelines to export its oil and has seen production repeatedly disrupted by the conflict, worsening its economic crisis.
Sudanese soldiers and oil workers began evacuating Heglig on Monday and the RSF took control of the facility without resistance. By Tuesday, about 3,900 Sudanese soldiers had surrendered their weapons to South Sudanese forces after crossing into Rubkona County, according to Unity State’s information ministry.
Video from South Sudan’s state broadcaster showed tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery among the weapons handed over.
Thousands of civilians from Sudan began crossing the border into South Sudan on Sunday and were still arriving Wednesday, the South Sudan government said, adding that the exact number was not yet known. South Sudan insists it remains neutral in the conflict despite accusations of siding with the RSF.
Heglig’s capture is the latest in a string of RSF territorial gains, including the October fall of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur and the Sudanese army’s last stronghold in Darfur. The war, which began in April 2023, has killed an estimated 150,000 people, displaced millions and triggered multiple famines. Both sides face allegations of atrocities.
The capture of Heglig, a vital state asset, could be a significant bargaining chip for the RSF, analysts said. But the opaque nature of oil finances makes it difficult to determine how much the SAF, RSF or South Sudan will be impacted economically over the short term.
