South Sudan on Brink of Civil War as Kiir–Machar Rift Deepens

South Sudan is at the brink of a return to civil war after the government placed Vice-President Riek Machar under house arrest and charged him with treason, exposing the fragility of the country’s power-sharing deal with President Salva Kiir.

Machar, a longtime rival of Kiir and his main partner in a unity government formed under a 2018 peace accord, has been confined in Juba since March.

Authorities accuse him of colluding with militias involved in a deadly assault on government forces in Upper Nile state.

His party, the SPLM-IO, has denounced the charges as politically motivated and called for “regime change.”

Ugandan special forces have deployed to the capital to reinforce security for Kiir’s administration, underscoring fears of renewed large-scale fighting in the world’s newest nation.

On Monday Machar appeared in court in Juba under heavy security for the opening of his treason trial, his first public sighting since his detention.

He faces charges of treason, murder, crimes against humanity and conspiracy linked to alleged militia attacks earlier this year.

His defence team has challenged the court’s jurisdiction, arguing he retains immunity as vice-president under the peace deal.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of conflict led by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, but hopes of peace quickly faded.

Two years later, Kiir accused Machar, then vice president, of plotting a coup, sparking a civil war along largely ethnic lines that killed an estimated 400,000 people and displaced millions.

The 2018 deal halted most large-scale hostilities and restored Machar to high office, but its provisions on unifying the army, disarming militias and preparing elections have lagged. Delays have deepened mistrust between the Dinka-led government and Machar’s largely Nuer base.

Rights groups and diplomats warn that sidelining Machar through judicial proceedings could unravel the unity government and reignite fighting.

Elections already postponed have further tested the viability of South Sudan’s shaky transition and the patience of its war-weary citizens.

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