A wave of arrests in South Sudan has intensified political tensions and raised questions about President Salva Kiir’s grip on power.
Former finance minister Bak Barnaba Chol was detained Friday while attempting to cross into Uganda, officials said.
His arrest follows that of former finance minister Marial Dongrin Ater and several senior financial and intelligence officials.
Authorities have not detailed specific charges.
Government spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said the detentions were “not political” and linked to alleged monetary irregularities.
Civic leader Edmund Yakani warned that extending arrests into security sectors could prove “very dangerous.”
Analysts at the International Crisis Group said the moves suggest Kiir’s broad governing coalition is narrowing.
The unrest unfolds as war in Sudan disrupts vital oil exports routed through Sudanese pipelines.
The World Bank estimates the economy shrank 24 percent in 2025 amid repeated production shutdowns.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Riek Machar remains under house arrest, as violence rises and thousands are reported killed or displaced.
