South Sudan’s opposition has declared the country’s 2018 peace deal void following the overnight arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar, a longtime political rival of President Salva Kiir.
The development, they warn, could push the nation back into full-scale conflict.
According to a statement from a member of Machar’s party, heavily armed forces stormed his residence in Juba late Wednesday, detaining him in what marks a sharp escalation of rising tensions in the world’s youngest nation.
The fragile power-sharing arrangement between Kiir and Machar had been crumbling for weeks, fueling fears of a return to the civil war that claimed an estimated 400,000 lives between 2013 and 2018.
“With the arrest and detention of Dr. Riek Machar Teny, the 2018 peace agreement has effectively been nullified,” said Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, deputy chairman of Machar’s party. “This has put the country’s prospects for peace and stability in grave danger.”
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) echoed these concerns, warning that the nation was on the brink of widespread conflict.
“The country’s leaders stand at the edge of a dangerous precipice,” said Nicholas Haysom, head of UNMISS, adding that any collapse of the peace accord would not only devastate South Sudan but also destabilize the wider region.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Juba remained calm on Thursday morning, with businesses operating as usual.
However, a heavy military presence, including a tank, was observed around Machar’s residence, which is located near the presidential compound.
Civil society leader Edmund Yakani described growing public anxiety, stating, “People are in a state of panic. If war breaks out, it will be even more deadly and violent due to deep-seated grievances and the desire for revenge.”