A group of East African nations has urged South Sudan to release detained officials and ease security restrictions, warning that recent political tensions could reignite conflict in the country.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), comprising eight East African countries, made the call during a virtual meeting on Wednesday.
The appeal comes after the arrest of several officials allied with First Vice President Riek Machar, including a deputy military chief and two ministers, in the capital city of Juba last week. The detentions have heightened concerns about the fragility of South Sudan’s peace agreement.
South Sudan has been formally at peace since a 2018 agreement ended a five-year civil war that killed nearly 400,000 people. However, relations remain tense between President Salva Kiir and Machar, who have long dominated the nation’s political landscape. The latest arrests, coupled with deadly clashes near the northern town of Nasir, are seen as threatening the stability achieved by the peace deal.
In the IGAD meeting, Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu stated, “The government is urged to forthwith release detained officials, unless credible evidence warrants legal proceedings conducted transparently and in accordance with due process.” He also emphasized the need to restore standard security arrangements.
