A peace deal ending a conflict that killed tens of thousands in South Sudan is in danger of collapsing, raising fears that the world’s youngest nation — and one of its poorest — could swiftly lapse back into war.
South Sudan split from the rest of Sudan in 2011 after decades of pro-independence unrest but has struggled to keep the peace in its territory, which is divided along ethnic lines.
It plunged into a civil war in 2013 and then again three years later, until the violence was stopped by a fragile ceasefire agreement in 2018.
What’s the current crisis about?
The nation is governed by a coalition government, led by President Salva Kiir and five vice presidents, who include Kiir’s rival Riek Machar, the leader of the SPLM/A-IO party.
Machar was arrested this week, prompting the SPLM/A-IO to issue a statement Thursday saying his detention “effectively brings the (peace) agreement (between him and Kiir) to a collapse.”
“The prospect for peace and stability in South Sudan has now been put into serious jeopardy,” it added.
CNN has asked the SPLM/A-IO what it thinks could happen next but has not heard back.
Machar’s arrest followed the sacking and arrest of other prominent officials from the SPLM/A-IO, as well as the arrival of troops from neighboring Uganda at Kiir’s invitation to help South Sudan’s military fight a local militia. The SPLM/A-IO condemned what it called “military aggression against civilians” by the Ugandan forces.