African Union mediators arrived in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, on Wednesday to engage in discussions aimed at preventing the country from descending into a new civil war, following the house arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar last week.
The government led by President Salva Kiir has accused Machar, a longstanding adversary who commanded rebel forces during the 2013-2018 conflict that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, of attempting to incite a new uprising.
Violence erupted in January between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces, under President Kiir, and the armed faction of Machar’s opposition party. This surge in conflict has raised significant concerns about a potential resurgence of the civil war that concluded in 2018 with a peace agreement.
The transitional government has expressed its commitment to achieving peace. “The mandate of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) is clear: we must end the war, establish a revitalized government of national unity, and restore security and sustainable peace in the country,” stated Martin Elia Lomuro, South Sudan’s Minister of Cabinet Affairs, to the African Union mediators.
Machar’s opposition party is urging President Kiir to facilitate the release of their leader.
