South Sudanese forces have arrested the petroleum minister and several senior military officials allied with First Vice President Riek Machar, putting a peace deal at risk. The arrests follow intense fighting in the northern town of Nasir between national forces and the White Army militia.
Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and Deputy Head of the Army Gabriel Doup Lam were detained, while other senior officials aligned with Machar were placed under house arrest. Machar’s spokesperson stated that no reason was provided for the arrests.
The government has deployed troops around Machar’s residence, but he was able to travel to his office on Wednesday morning. Information Minister Michael Makuei accused forces loyal to Machar of collaborating with the White Army and attacking a military garrison near Nasir town.
Analysts warn that South Sudan is at risk of war due to increased access to weapons from the conflict in neighboring Sudan. The fragile peace deal, which has held since 2018, appears fragile. The African Union and UN peacekeeping mission have called for de-escalation in Nasir’s Upper Nile State.
Analysts fear the country will slide back into war unless the situation is managed by top leadership. “The country is likely to slide to war unless the situation is managed by the top leadership of the country,” said Ter Manyang, head of the Center for Peace and Advocacy.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-sudan-detains-oil-minister-several-military-officials-says-vice-presidents-2025-03-05