AGrade A: Official recordStrongest record: official record
1 documented tie · 1 step from the SAF
Also recorded as: Government of South Sudan - oil transit fees; SSPDF
Recorded for oil transit fees; second-pass sources place it as neutral. Not documented as a military supporter.
South Sudan exports crude through pipelines to the SAF-controlled Port Sudan terminal and pays per-barrel fees under inter-state agreements. A recurring hard-currency revenue stream for the SAF-led government, arising from a treaty obligation rather than support for the military.
Their response
SSPDF chief of staff Paul Nang: troops entered Heglig under a 'tripartite agreement' (Kiir, Burhan, Hemedti) and would maintain strict neutrality.
Records
3
Each record carries its own grade. A grade describes the source for that record, not the actor.
AGrade A: Official record
Defence minister's official visit to Juba and joint political-security committee (August 2026)
2024-12 to 2026-08
The Ministry of Defence page reported the defence minister's official visit to Juba on 9-12 Aug 2026, received by South Sudan's defence minister; 'the two defence ministers affirm strengthening cooperation and tight coordination' and 'the joint political-security committee between the two countries concludes its work' (12 Aug 2026). Giad opened a parts centre in Juba in December 2024.
Why this grade
Grade A is for the fact that the page announced this. The page was identified as official by its name and content; no verification badge was detected.
›Research notes
Source alignment: official SAF-side channel. Grade applies to the fact that the announcement was made, not to its content. Context: state-to-state security contact and a commercial outlet of a sanctioned army-owned group in Juba.
South Sudan exports crude through pipelines to the SAF-controlled Port Sudan terminal and pays per-barrel fees under inter-state agreements. A recurring hard-currency revenue stream for the SAF-led government, arising from a treaty obligation rather than support for the military.
Response
No response located in the sources reviewed.
Sanctions
None found in OFAC SDN / EU / UK lists checked 2026-10-03
No documented arms support to the SAF. Relevant facts: oil-transit interdependence (see finance thread) and the December 2025 Heglig arrangement.
Why this grade
n/a (negative finding for SAF side)
Response
SSPDF chief of staff Paul Nang: troops entered Heglig under a 'tripartite agreement' (Kiir, Burhan, Hemedti) and would maintain strict neutrality.
Sanctions
None
›Research notes
Al Jazeera (11 Dec 2025): after the RSF took Heglig on 8 Dec, about 3,900 SAF soldiers crossed into Rubkona County and handed tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery to South Sudanese authorities; an SAF drone strike at Heglig killed dozens including three South Sudanese soldiers. The FFM (para 113, 129) records South Sudanese nationals fighting for the RSF and no substantive reply from Juba; HSBA lists South Sudan among RSF supporters.
South Sudanese army deploys into Heglig under a tripartite agreement; about 3,900 SAF soldiers had crossed into South Sudan and handed over heavy weapons. aljazeera.com↗
BGrade B: Corroborated
1 more event below grade A (corroborated, single-source or unverified). Change “Evidence shown” to see it.
Geography
Tags come from the recorded jurisdiction and from place names in the records. Coordinates on the map are approximate.
Based in
South Sudan, Sudan
Places
Port Sudan, Heglig
Position in the network
Derived by analysing the documented relationships. Nothing in this section is a finding.
Connected to the SAF through official or corroborated records.