South Sudan’s fragile 2018 peace agreement is at risk following the detention of First Vice President Riek Machar and his wife, Interior Minister Angelina Teny. An armed convoy, led by top security officials, disarmed Machar’s bodyguards and placed him under house arrest in Juba. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement In Opposition (SPLM/IO) condemned the action, calling it a breach of the peace deal.
The government has yet to comment, but President Salva Kiir reassured religious leaders that he would not return the country to war. However, tensions remain high, with a heavy military presence in the capital. The UN Mission in South Sudan (Unmiss) and Western nations, including the US and UK, have warned that the country is on the brink of widespread conflict.
Diplomatic missions have been scaled down, and foreign embassies have either closed or advised their citizens to leave. The US has urged Kiir to release Machar to prevent further escalation. Meanwhile, renewed clashes between rival forces in Upper Nile State add to fears that South Sudan may slide back into full-scale war.
