South Sudan’s primary opposition group declared that its leader, Riek Machar, had been arrested, while the United Nations urged all factions to adhere to the 2018 peace agreement that concluded the nation’s devastating civil war, according to AP News.
The UN cautioned on Monday that the country was on the verge of renewed conflict following clashes in the northern region between government troops and an armed faction aligned with Machar.
According to opposition spokesperson Pal Mai Deng, Machar is currently “in confinement by the government,” and his life is “at risk.” Deng made the statement during a video address on Wednesday evening.
Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN mission in South Sudan, responded to reports of Machar’s detention by calling for restraint and reaffirming the necessity of upholding the Revitalised Peace Agreement.
Tonight, the country’s leaders stand on the brink of relapsing into widespread conflict or taking the country forward towards peace, recovery and democracy in the spirit of the consensus that was reached in 2018.
South Sudan’s five-year civil war, which claimed approximately 400,000 lives, ended with the 2018 accord that established a unity government under President Salva Kiir, with Machar serving as one of the nation’s five vice presidents.
Rising tensions and recent violence
Relations between Kiir’s and Machar’s factions have deteriorated in recent months, culminating in March when the White Army seized an army base in Upper Nile state and targeted a UN helicopter.
The government retaliated with airstrikes, issuing warnings to civilians in the area to evacuate or “face consequences.” Since mid-March, over a dozen people have been killed in the violence, prompting the UN to warn of a potential return to full-scale civil war if leaders fail to prioritise national stability.
An opposition official Reath Muoch Tang recounted that approximately 20 heavily armed vehicles arrived at Machar’s residence, where he was detained alongside his wife.
His bodyguards were disarmed, and an arrest warrant was delivered to him under unclear charges.
The deteriorating security situation has prompted Germany and Norway to temporarily close their embassies in Juba. The US Embassy has further reduced its minimal staff due to safety concerns, advising American citizens in the country to prepare for potential shelter should conditions worsen.
Similarly, the British Embassy has temporarily downsized its personnel, with consular services now “severely limited.”
