By Spy Uganda Correspondent
Juba, South Sudan-March 27, 2025: In a dramatic escalation of tensions in South Sudan, an armed convoy led by top security officials, including the Defence Minister, stormed the residence of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny late Wednesday night. According to a press release from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), the security forces disarmed Machar’s bodyguards before placing him and his wife, Hon. Angelina Teny, the country’s Minister of Interior, under house arrest in Juba.
The SPLM-IO has strongly condemned the arrest, describing it as an illegal act ordered by President Salva Kiir Mayardit. The group warned that this move effectively nullifies the Revitalized Peace Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed in 2018 to end the country’s brutal civil war.
“The arrest and detention of H.E. Dr. Riek Machar Teny effectively bring the Agreement to a collapse, thus putting the prospect for peace and stability in South Sudan into serious jeopardy,” the statement read.
A Breach of Peace Agreements
Machar, who also serves as the Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the SPLM-IO, played a crucial role in negotiating the 2018 peace deal, which sought to unite warring factions and restore stability to South Sudan after years of conflict. His arrest, the SPLM-IO argues, is a violation of the agreement and signals a return to political instability.
Beyond Machar’s detention, the SPLM-IO also reported military attacks on cantonment sites and training centers in Wunliet, Aswa, and Rejaf, further destabilizing the fragile peace. The group described these assaults as violations of the Permanent Ceasefire and the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed in 2017.
International Calls for Intervention
The SPLM-IO has urgently called upon the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU), C5 countries, and the United Nations (UN) to intervene and secure the immediate release of Machar, his wife, and other detained political figures.
Rt. Hon. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, the SPLM-IO Deputy Chairman and First Deputy Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), urged party members and the general public to remain calm as diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis continue.
The arrest of Machar, a key opposition leader, raises concerns about the future of South Sudan’s fragile government. If the situation escalates, the country may face another wave of political violence, reversing years of effort toward peace and reconciliation.
As the world watches closely, the response from international bodies and regional leaders will be critical in determining whether South Sudan can navigate this crisis peacefully or slip back into turmoil.
