The United States has urged South Sudan President Salva Kiir to release First Vice President Riek Machar, who is reportedly under house arrest. Washington’s Bureau of African Affairs expressed concern over Machar’s detention, emphasizing that the country’s leaders must demonstrate their commitment to peace.
According to Machar’s SPLM-IO party, South Sudan’s defense minister and chief of national security forcefully entered his residence and delivered an arrest warrant. Machar, along with his wife and two bodyguards, remains confined to his home. He faces accusations of involvement in recent clashes between the South Sudanese military and the White Army militia in Nasir, Upper Nile State.
The White Army, a community-based militia with historical links to Machar, engaged in fighting with government forces earlier this month. However, SPLM-IO denies any ongoing ties to the group. The recent violence, coupled with an increase in ethnic-based hate speech, has raised concerns about a potential relapse into the devastating civil war that ended in 2018.
In response to Machar’s reported house arrest, the U.S. urged Kiir to reverse the decision and prevent further escalation. “It is time for South Sudan’s leaders to demonstrate sincerity in their commitments to peace,” the Bureau of African Affairs posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) also called for restraint, warning that escalating political tensions could push the nation back into widespread conflict. “This will not only devastate South Sudan but also affect the entire region,” UNMISS stated.
Political analysts believe that the fragile coalition government formed under the 2018 peace deal is at risk of collapse. The agreement, which ended the 2013-2018 civil war, established a power-sharing arrangement in which Machar serves as First Vice President alongside four other vice presidents under President Kiir.
Tensions have been mounting, with Kiir’s government recently detaining several SPLM-IO officials, including the petroleum minister and deputy army chief, following clashes in Upper Nile State. Reports also indicate renewed fighting between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar near the capital, Juba.
The 2013-2018 conflict, fought largely along ethnic lines, resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. The latest developments have raised fears of renewed violence, prompting international calls for de-escalation and dialogue.
