The United States has urged South Sudanese President Salva Kiir to release First Vice President Riek Machar, who is reportedly under house arrest, warning that continued tensions could further destabilize the country.
Machar’s SPLM-IO party said on Wednesday that the defense minister and national security chief forcibly entered his residence and issued an arrest warrant. He is allegedly being held at home with his wife and two bodyguards, accused of involvement in recent clashes between the military and the White Army militia in Nasir, Upper Nile State, according to SPLM-IO senior official Reath Muoch Tang.
“We are concerned by reports that South Sudan’s First Vice President Machar is under house arrest,” the U.S. Bureau of African Affairs wrote on X. “We urge President Kiir to reverse this action & prevent further escalation of the situation.”
Machar and Kiir have long been rivals, with their conflict sparking a brutal civil war from 2013 to 2018. A fragile peace deal led to a power-sharing government in which Machar serves as first vice president, alongside four other vice presidents.
The United Nations has warned that rising ethnic tensions, fueled by recent clashes and inflammatory rhetoric, could reignite widespread violence. While the White Army militia has historic ties to Machar, SPLM-IO denies any ongoing affiliation.
Peace Deal on the Brink
Political analysts fear the latest crisis could unravel the already fragile peace agreement. The U.N. mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has called for restraint, warning that renewed conflict would not only devastate the country but also impact regional stability.
Earlier this month, Kiir’s government arrested several senior SPLM-IO figures, including the petroleum minister and deputy army chief, following fighting in Upper Nile State. On Wednesday, fresh clashes were reported near the capital, Juba, between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar.
The 2013-2018 civil war, fought largely along ethnic lines, left hundreds of thousands dead in the world’s youngest nation.
