South Sudan’s already fragile peace process is facing a major crisis following the arrest of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, a key opposition leader and signatory of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has called for restraint and renewed commitment to peace, warning that the country risks sliding back into civil war.
According to reports from Machar’s SPLM/A-IO party, a heavily armed convoy stormed his residence in Juba late Wednesday night. His bodyguards were disarmed, and an arrest warrant was issued under unclear charges. Efforts are now being made to determine his current location.
The arrest marks a major escalation in tensions that have been building for weeks as the power-sharing arrangement between President Salva Kiir and Machar continues to deteriorate. The growing mistrust between the two leaders threatens to dismantle the Revitalized Peace Agreement, which ended a brutal five-year civil war from 2013 to 2018, resulting in an estimated 400,000 deaths.
UNMISS has urged all parties to recommit to peace and avoid actions that could push the country back into widespread conflict. Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, emphasized that South Sudan’s leadership is at a critical juncture, either moving forward towards stability or falling back into war. He warned that unilateral decisions undermining the progress made in recent years could have devastating consequences.
The Revitalized Peace Agreement, signed in 2018, remains the only viable framework for resolving disputes. UNMISS has called on leaders to uphold the ceasefire, address grievances through dialogue, and work towards forming a truly unified government.
Tensions have escalated further, with reports of clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) in areas south and west of Juba. Volatile conditions have also been reported in Upper Nile State, where heavy military mobilization and aerial bombardments have allegedly led to civilian casualties.
Regional and international organizations, including the African Union, IGAD, RJMEC, and the Troika, have launched diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation. UNMISS has called on Kiir and Machar to prioritize national interests by taking immediate steps to prevent military confrontation and restore calm. A joint public commitment to peace, they argue, would help reassure the country and prevent a return to full-scale conflict.
The situation has raised alarm both locally and internationally, as tensions between Kiir and Machar—longtime political and military rivals—continue to intensify. In recent weeks, disputes have worsened following Uganda’s military deployment and the arrest of opposition figures. Machar had previously accused Uganda of interfering in South Sudanese affairs, warning that violations of the peace agreement could lead to its collapse. Uganda, however, maintains that its presence in South Sudan is aimed at preserving regional stability.