South Sudanese forces have arrested Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and several senior military officials aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar, a move that could threaten the fragile peace deal that ended the country’s civil war.
The 2018 peace agreement formally ended a five-year conflict between Machar and President Salva Kiir, but tensions remain high, with frequent outbreaks of violence between rival groups.
Machar’s spokesperson, Puok Both Baluang, confirmed the arrests, stating that all senior military officials loyal to Machar had been placed under house arrest. However, no official reason was given for the detentions.
Security forces also surrounded Machar’s residence, though he was still able to travel to his office on Wednesday, Baluang said.
The situation escalated on Tuesday when General Paul Nang, the head of South Sudan’s defense forces, arrested his deputy, Lt-Gen Gabriel Doup Lam. Machar’s office condemned the move, stating that it violated the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan and weakened the Joint Defence Board, a key institution responsible for military command and control.
“These actions erode confidence and trust among the parties,” Machar’s spokesperson Pal Mai Deng said, expressing concern over the heavy military deployment around Machar’s home.
The South Sudanese army declined to comment, and Information Minister Michael Makuei has not responded to inquiries.
South Sudan’s civil war, which erupted in December 2013 after Kiir dismissed Machar, claimed an estimated 400,000 lives, displaced over 2.5 million people, and left nearly half of the population struggling with food insecurity. The war also severely impacted oil production, the country’s main source of revenue.
Tensions between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar have erupted into violence before, most notably in July 2016, when heavy fighting in the capital involved anti-aircraft guns, attack helicopters, and tanks. Both leaders denied responsibility for the clashes.
The latest arrests and military movements have raised fresh concerns about the stability of South Sudan’s fragile peace process.
