South Sudan’s primary opposition party has announced the arrest of its leader, Riek Machar, as the United Nations urged all factions to adhere to the 2018 agreement that concluded the nation’s civil war.
On Monday, the U.N. cautioned that South Sudan was on the verge of a renewed civil conflict following clashes in the north between an armed faction supporting Machar and government troops.
According to opposition spokesperson Pal Mai Deng, Machar is currently “in confinement by the government,” and his safety is “at risk,” as stated in a video message to the press on Wednesday evening.
Nicholas Haysom, head of the U.N. mission in South Sudan, emphasized that in light of Machar’s reported detention, all parties must “exercise restraint and uphold the Revitalized Peace Agreement.”
The civil war in South Sudan, which resulted in approximately 400,000 fatalities, concluded with a peace agreement in 2018 that established a unity government between President Salva Kiir and Machar. Machar serves as one of the five vice presidents in the nation.
Tensions have been rising between the factions of Kiir and Machar, particularly after the White Army, a group loyal to Machar, seized an army base in Upper Nile state and attacked a U.N. helicopter in March.
In retaliation, the government conducted airstrikes and warned civilians in the vicinity of the army group to evacuate or “face consequences.”
Since the airstrikes began in mid-March, over a dozen fatalities have been reported, and the U.N. has cautioned that a renewed civil war could erupt if the leaders fail to prioritize the nation’s welfare.
“Tonight, the leaders of the country are at a crossroads, facing the choice between descending into widespread conflict or advancing towards peace, recovery, and democracy, in line with the consensus reached in 2018 when they signed and committed to the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement,” Haysom stated in a Wednesday night announcement.
An official from the opposition reported that 20 heavily armed vehicles arrived at the residence of Machar, where he was taken into custody along with his wife.
“His bodyguards were stripped of their weapons, and an arrest warrant was presented to him on unspecified charges,” stated Reath Muoch Tang, a representative of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army – In Opposition.
In a statement on X, the U.S. State Department’s bureau of African affairs called on Kiir to lift the house arrest and “prevent further escalation of the situation.”
Earlier in March, security forces detained several of Machar’s senior associates, an act that his supporters denounced as a “serious breach” of the peace agreement.
Germany and Norway have temporarily shut down their embassies in Juba. The U.S. Embassy has also reduced its already minimal staff due to security concerns and has advised American citizens in the country to be ready to take shelter if the “situation worsens.” The British Embassy has similarly announced a temporary reduction in staff, with consular services being “severely limited.”
