The situation in South Sudan is getting worse, with more violence and political tension putting the country’s fragile peace at risk, according to a United Nations rights group.
This comes after several officials linked to Vice President Riek Machar were arrested recently. Earlier this month, security forces loyal to President Salva Kiir detained two ministers and high-ranking military officers who support Machar.
These arrests have sparked fears about the future of a 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war between Kiir and Machar’s forces, which killed nearly 400,000 people.
Yasmin Sooka, head of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, warned that the country is moving backward in a dangerous way.
She said, “We are seeing a troubling decline that could undo years of progress. Leaders must focus on peace, protect people’s rights, and work toward democracy instead of creating more division and conflict.”
The arrests happened after recent fighting in the northern town of Nasir between government troops and the White Army, a militia group mostly made up of Nuer people, Machar’s ethnic group.
Government spokesperson Michael Makuei said the officials were arrested because they were “breaking the law.”
He also accused Machar’s forces of working with the White Army and attacking a military base near Nasir on March 4. However, Machar’s party has denied these claims.
On Saturday, South Sudan’s intelligence agency announced it had arrested several people suspected of being involved in the fighting in Nasir and a nearby town.
The agency did not say how many people were arrested or who they were. Makuei did not respond to requests for comment on the U.N. rights group’s statement.
In another troubling incident, a South Sudanese general and dozens of soldiers were killed on Friday when a U.N. helicopter trying to rescue them from Nasir was attacked, the government said.
This report, based on information from Reuters, highlights the growing instability in South Sudan and the urgent need for leaders to prioritize peace and human rights to avoid further chaos.
Credit: Reuters