South Sudan faces renewed tensions potentially leading to civil war, marked by the arrest of Vice President Riek Machar’s allies and military actions against civilians. The long history of rivalry between Kiir and Machar complicates the fragile peace, which is further threatened by stalled negotiations for unification of armed forces.
South Sudan appears to be approaching a potential civil war as tensions rise dramatically within the nation. The situation escalated following the arrest of Vice President Riek Machar’s allies, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, which has created unease in the capital, Juba. Both Machar and Chol are part of the Nuer ethnic group, the second-largest demographic in South Sudan after the Dinka, which is the ethnicity of President Salva Kiir.
The conflict has deep historical roots, driven by the long-standing rivalry between Kiir and Machar, which previously erupted into a civil war. Recently, the White Army, a militia composed mainly of the Nuer, seized control of Nasir, a significant town in Upper Nile State. Machar has previously supported this militia during the war, further complicating the current crisis.
Under a 2018 peace agreement intended to end the civil war, Kiir and Machar were to unify the various ethnic militias into a single national army by 2022. However, negotiations have faltered, and tensions have escalated. Kiir’s administration recently dismissed Machar’s allies, including the health minister, without the required consultation, violating the peace deal. This incident, coupled with military actions against civilians in Nasir, has exacerbated the situation.
Moreover, armed youths retaliated against government forces after reports emerged of civilian abuses, resulting in the deaths of several soldiers. Kiir’s forces then responded with airstrikes targeting militants loyal to Machar. These developments occur against the backdrop of renewed hopes for economic recovery, as South Sudan’s oil production resumed just two months ago, providing critical revenue for one of the world’s most impoverished nations.
In summary, the political landscape in South Sudan is increasingly unstable, as tensions between rival factions threaten to plunge the country into civil war once more. The arrest of key allies of Vice President Riek Machar and the actions of the military against civilians signal escalating violence and a potential breakdown of the fragile peace established in 2018. Prospects for unity within the national army remain bleak, complicating the nation’s recovery efforts in the face of renewed oil production and ongoing ethnic conflicts.
Original Source: www.gzeromedia.com
