Tensions in South Sudan have escalated following the arrest of opposition leader Riek Machar, a move his party said effectively nullified a 2018 peace deal that ended five years of brutal conflict.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Opposition Army (SPLM-IO) said on Thursday that his arrest showed a lack of commitment to peace. Its vice president, Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, warned that the deal had been “defunct” and that the country risked sliding back into war.
Machar, who served as First Vice President under a fragile power-sharing agreement with President Salva Kiir, was reportedly arrested at his Juba residence on Wednesday. According to SPLM-IO official Reath Muoch Tang, a convoy of armed vehicles entered Machar’s home, disarmed his guards and served an arrest warrant on unspecified charges. He and his wife remain under house arrest.
Authorities accuse Machar of supporting the White Army militia, which has recently clashed with government forces in Upper Nile State. While the SPLM-IO fought alongside the militia during the civil war, the party currently denies any links.
Machar’s Arrest Gained International Condemn
The arrest has drawn strong international condemnation. The United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNMISS) warned that renewed conflict would have devastating consequences for both South Sudan and the wider region. UNMISS chief Nicholas Haysom called for restraint and compliance with the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
The African Union Commission announced plans to send a delegation to Juba to reduce tensions, while the US State Department urged President Kiir to lift Machar’s house arrest to prevent further escalation.
Hostilities between Kiir and Machar’s factions have escalated, particularly after a deadly attack on an army base in March. In response, the government launched airstrikes and warned civilians in the affected areas to leave or “face the consequences.” At least a dozen people have been killed since mid-March.
Earlier this month, several senior Machar allies were also detained, a move his supporters described as a serious breach of the peace agreement.