Rising violence and escalating political tensions in South Sudan pose a significant threat to the country’s delicate peace process, according to a statement released by a United Nations human rights body on Saturday. This warning comes just days after the arrest of several officials associated with the vice president.
Earlier this month, security forces loyal to President Salva Kiir detained two ministers and multiple senior military figures aligned with Riek Machar.
These arrests have sparked concerns regarding the stability of the 2018 peace agreement that concluded a five-year civil conflict between the factions supporting Kiir and Machar, which resulted in nearly 400,000 fatalities.
Yasmin Sooka, chairperson of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “We are witnessing an alarming regression that could erase years of hard-won progress. Rather than fuelling division and conflict, leaders must urgently refocus on the peace process, uphold the human rights of South Sudanese citizens, and ensure a smooth transition to democracy.”
The arrests followed intense clashes in recent weeks in the strategically important northern town of Nasir, where national forces engaged with the White Army militia, a loosely organized group primarily composed of members from the Nuer ethnic group, which is associated with Machar.
Government spokesperson Michael Makuei explained that the arrests were necessary due to the Machar-affiliated officials being in “conflict with the law.” He accused Machar’s forces of collaborating with the White Army and launching an attack on a military garrison near Nasir on March 4.
Machar’s party has refuted these allegations.
On Saturday, the National Security Services intelligence agency announced the detention of several individuals “believed to have verified links to the military confrontation” in Nasir and a nearby location, although they did not disclose the total number of arrests or the identities of those detained.
Makuei did not provide an immediate response when asked for comments regarding the rights commission’s statement.
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On Friday, a South Sudanese general and numerous soldiers lost their lives when a U.N. helicopter, attempting to evacuate them from Nasir, came under fire, according to government reports.
