KEY POINTS
- South Sudan arrested its oil minister and military officials, sparking political unrest.
- Recent violence in Nasir has raised concerns about the 2018 peace deal.
- The UN and African Union urge de-escalation to avoid a return to war.
South Sudanese security forces have arrested Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and several senior military officials aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar, heightening fears that the fragile 2018 peace deal could be at risk.
The arrests follow weeks of intense fighting in Nasir, a strategically significant town in the north, between national forces and the White Army militia—a loosely organized group primarily made up of armed Nuer fighters, Machar’s ethnic group.
Machar’s spokesperson, Puok Both Baluang, confirmed the detentions, stating that senior military leaders linked to Machar had also been placed under house arrest.
“As of now, there’s no official reason provided for these arrests,” Baluang told reporters.
Tensions escalated further as government troops were seen surrounding Machar’s residence, though his office confirmed that he was still able to move freely.
According to Reuters, the government has yet to comment on the arrests but maintains that it is committed to peace.
Rising violence sparks fears of renewed conflict
Rising war fears confront South Sudan as authorities continue their new wave of arrests.
The country’s civil war from 2013 to 2018 caused an estimated loss of 400,000 lives together with displacing 2.5 million people, while food insecurity affected about 5 million of its 11 million citizens.
Since the signing of the 2018 peace agreement, forces supporting President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar have diminished major combat operations but minor clashes occur regularly.
The most recent clashes in Nasir reportedly involved White Army fighters attacking a military garrison, prompting government accusations that Machar’s allies colluded with the militia.
South Sudan’s Information Minister Michael Makuei has downplayed concerns, insisting that the government is working to stabilize the situation.
“There is no reason to panic. We will not allow the country to return to war,” he said in a statement.
However, international analysts and advocacy groups remain skeptical. Daniel Akech Thiong, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, warned that the country’s fragile stability is deteriorating.
“With an influx of weapons due to the conflict in Sudan, South Sudan’s peace agreement is at serious risk of collapse,” he said.
International community calls for de-escalation
The African Union and the United Nations South Sudan peacekeeping mission asked both parties to lower their tensions while stopping the escalation of violence.
The organizations issued safety statements regarding the potential civil unrest which could erupt as Nasir’s Upper Nile State tension intensifies.
Several experts evaluate how economic conditions have been affected by the crisis.
The continuous conflict in Sudan has disrupted the main source of income for South Sudan which consists of oil exports providing 90 percent of foreign revenue.
Local peace advocates are calling on leaders to resolve their differences through dialogue.
Head of Juba-based Center for Peace and Advocacy, Ter Manyang stated that another devastating war in South Sudan would become inevitable unless the government takes immediate control of the situation at its highest levels.
He emphasized that actual hostilities might resume any time, thus demanding swift remedial solutions to stop more disorder from erupting.
All public attention now focuses on South Sudan’s leaders to determine how they will manage the escalating crisis, while preserving the existing delicate peace agreement.
