NAIROBI, March 8 – South Sudan’s fragile peace process is at risk of unraveling as political tensions and violent clashes escalate, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warned on Saturday. The concern follows the recent arrests of key officials linked to Vice President Riek Machar, raising fears of a return to conflict.
Security forces loyal to President Salva Kiir detained two government ministers and several senior military officers aligned with Machar earlier this month. The detentions have sparked anxiety over the stability of the 2018 peace agreement, which ended a devastating five-year civil war that claimed nearly 400,000 lives.
Yasmin Sooka, chairperson of the U.N. commission, cautioned that South Sudan risks backsliding into turmoil. “We are witnessing an alarming regression that could erase years of hard-won progress,” she said, urging leaders to recommit to the peace process, uphold human rights, and guide the country toward a democratic transition.
The arrests follow fierce clashes in the strategic northern town of Nasir between national forces and the White Army militia, an armed group predominantly composed of Nuer fighters, Machar’s ethnic group. Government spokesperson Michael Makuei defended the detentions, stating that the arrested officials were “in conflict with the law.” He accused Machar’s loyalists of colluding with the White Army to attack a military garrison near Nasir on March 4. Machar’s party has denied the allegations.
On Saturday, the National Security Services (NSS) intelligence agency confirmed the detention of several individuals allegedly involved in the violence in Nasir and a nearby town. However, it did not disclose the number of arrests or the identities of those detained.
Makuei has yet to respond to the U.N. commission’s statement. Meanwhile, the security situation in South Sudan remains precarious. On Friday, a South Sudanese general and dozens of soldiers were killed when a U.N. helicopter attempting to evacuate them from Nasir came under attack, the government reported.
As tensions mount, concerns grow that South Sudan may be sliding back into instability, jeopardizing the prospects for lasting peace in the country.
