South Sudan's Vice President, Riek Machar, was arrested by the National Security Service, further escalating tensions in a country already on the brink of conflict. His party condemns the act as unconstitutional, while international observers voice concerns over the implications for the peace process.
**South Sudan’s Vice President Arrested Amid Escalating Tensions**
**South Sudan’s Vice President Arrested Amid Escalating Tensions**
The detainment of Riek Machar raises fears of civil unrest in the fragile peace of South Sudan.
On March 27, 2025, South Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar was reportedly arrested, triggering alarms about the country's stability. His political party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement In Opposition, announced that Machar was taken into custody late Wednesday by the National Security Service. Reports indicated that the country's defense minister and national security chief, alongside an armed convoy, forcibly entered Machar's residence, disarmed his security detail, and presented him with an arrest warrant under unspecified charges.
The whereabouts of Machar remained uncertain on Thursday morning, with no immediate comment from government or opposition representatives. A senior official from Machar’s party, Reath Muoch Tang, condemned the detainment on social media as a "blatant violation of the Constitution," asserting it undermines the rule of law and jeopardizes national stability.
This incident threatens the fragile peace agreement established in 2018 between Machar and President Salva Kiir, which ended a brutal civil war that resulted in the deaths of approximately 400,000 people. Concerns have also arisen from the U.S. State Department, which highlighted reports of Machar being placed under house arrest, urging President Kiir to reverse the decision and prevent potential escalation in the region.
