South Sudan Faces Renewed Crisis as Vice President's Allies Arrested

Tensions escalate in South Sudan after arrests of key officials and military actions threaten the fragile 2018 peace agreement.

South Sudanese soldiers have surrounded Vice President Riek Machar's residence in Juba following the arrests of his allies, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and Deputy Army Chief General Gabriel Duop Lam.
The arrests and military actions are seen as violating the 2018 peace agreement, which ended a five-year civil war that claimed over 400,000 lives and displaced millions.
The government, led by President Salva Kiir, accuses Machar's allies of collaborating with Nuer-aligned armed groups responsible for recent violence in the Upper Nile State.
The fragile power-sharing government has faced mounting challenges, including stalled peace deal implementation and postponed elections originally scheduled for 2024.
Western diplomats and peace advocates have called for de-escalation to prevent further violence and a potential return to full-scale civil war.