The peace agreement that ended South Sudan’s 2013-2018 civil war has effectively collapsed following the house arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar, his party said Thursday, warning of a deepening political and security crisis.
The SPLM-IO, Machar’s party, condemned his detention, saying it nullifies the fragile peace deal with President Salva Kiir’s government.
“This effectively brings the agreement to a collapse, thus putting the prospects for peace and stability in South Sudan in serious jeopardy,” said Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, SPLM-IO’s deputy chair.
Machar was reportedly placed under house arrest with his wife after South Sudan’s defense minister and national security chief forcibly entered his residence in Juba on Wednesday evening to serve an arrest warrant. He is accused of supporting the White Army militia, which recently clashed with government forces in Nasir, Upper Nile State. SPLM-IO denies any links to the group.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has urged restraint, warning that the country is on the verge of widespread conflict.
“This will not only devastate South Sudan but also affect the entire region,” UNMISS said in a statement.
International Pressure Mounts
The U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan denounced the arrests as a sign of the peace process unraveling.
“The deliberate targeting of opposition leaders and civilians represents a reckless disregard for international law and the country’s future,” said Yasmin Sooka, chair of the commission.
Kenya, the African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) also urged calm, calling on South Sudan’s leaders to avoid actions that could escalate tensions.
Meanwhile, the United States Bureau of African Affairs called on Kiir to release Machar and uphold the peace agreement.
“We urge President Kiir to reverse this action and prevent further escalation of the situation,” the bureau wrote on X.
A Reuters journalist in Juba reported a heavy military presence near Machar’s residence on Thursday, while the U.N. confirmed fresh fighting between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar near the capital.
Kiir Tightens Grip on Power
Political analysts suggest Kiir is consolidating power ahead of elections. His government has detained several senior SPLM-IO figures in recent weeks and invited Uganda’s army to secure Juba.
Kiir has also appointed businessman Benjamin Bol Mel—who is under U.S. sanctions for alleged money laundering—as second vice president, fueling speculation he is being groomed as a successor. South Sudan previously dismissed the U.S. allegations as misleading.
The peace deal required the unification of government and opposition forces into a single national army, along with national elections—both of which have faced repeated delays.
The U.N. has warned that escalating violence in Nasir and a rise in hate speech could reignite the ethnic divisions that fueled South Sudan’s devastating civil war, which killed hundreds of thousands before ending in 2018.