Wednesday, March 26, 2025(Nyamilepedia) — The government of South Sudan has detained the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon, the country’s most powerful opposition leader, Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the SPLM/A-IO.
According to earlier reports from the residence of Dr. Machar, a contingent of military officers, National Security and members of military intelligence, who were transported in a fleet of more than 20 vehicles, stormed Macchar’s compound after 8pm to deliver a warrant for his arrest.
Upon their arrival, the company, which was led by the country’s Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Chol Thon Balok, and director-general of the National Security Service’s (NSS) Internal Security Bureau, General Charles Ciec Mayor, delivered an arrest warrant and arrested most of Dr. Machar’s bodyguards and took them to unknown location.
Despite speculations that Dr. Machar was taken to prison, latest reports from Machar’s inner circle and government officials confirmed that he was only put official house arrest.
“Though I am not speaking in any official capacity, I can confirm that, the stories of Dr. Riek Machar’s arrest are fabricated. He is right now in his house as I write this note. What next, God knows.” Ateny Wek Ateny, former Press Secretary to President Kiir said.
“His bodyguards were disarmed, and an arrest warrant was delivered to him under unclear charges. Attempts are currently being made to relocate him.” Hon Reath Muoch Tang, SPLM/A-IO Committee Chairperson for Foreign Relations said.
In response to a development that took 3-5 hours, senior officials of the SPLM/A-IO have strongly condemned Dr. Machar’s arrest.
According to the SPLM/A-IO Spokesperson, Pal Machar Deng, who doubles as the country’s Minister for Water and Irrigation in the Revitalized Transition Government of National Unity,
“With grave concern, I can confirm that the First Vice President and the leader of the SPLM/A-IO, Dr. Riek Machar, has been placed under house arrest. This is an unfortunate move, and this violates the revitalized peace agreement,” Pal Mach said.
“We strongly condemn the unconstitutional actions taken today by the Minister of Defense and the Chief of National Security, who, alongside more than twenty heavily armed vehicles, forcefully entered the residence of the First Vice President.” Said Reath Muoch Tang, Acting Chairperson of the National Committee on Foreign Relations of the SPLM-IO
“This act is a blatant violation of the Constitution and the Revitalized Peace Agreement, as no legal procedures such as lifting his immunity have been followed. The arrest of the First Vice President without due process undermines the rule of law and threatens the stability of the nation.” Hon. Reath recounted.
The SPLM/A-IO officials confirmed that there were attempts to relocate Dr. Machar but none of those materialized.
“We hold President Salva Kiir responsible for this reckless abrogation of the peace agreement and call upon the regional and international community to urgently intervene to prevent further escalation.” He added.
Similarly, members of the international community, UNMISS, UNSC, United States, U.K, Germany and Norway have called on their citizens to avoid traveling to South Sudan and called on South Sudan leaders to dialogue.
“Tonight, the country’s leaders stand on the brink of relapsing into widespread conflict or taking the country forward towards peace, recovery and democracy in the spirit of the consensus that was reached in 2018 when they signed and committed to implementing a Revitalized Peace Agreement,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, Nicholas Haysom.
While members of the international community are closing their embassies or withdrawing their staffs and restricting moments to South Sudan, the move by President Salva Kiir to put his Vice President under House risks a return to a full-scale violence.
Although Dr. Machar has been under unofficial house arrest for the past 6 years, South Sudan has enjoyed relative peace since the Revitalized peace agreement was signed in 2018.
For the last 3 weeks, since Nasir incident of March 3-5, there has been numerous skirmishes across the country.
In Upper Nile, the incident of Nasir has escalated to indiscriminate bombardments of civilians and their property in a significant number of Machar’s eastern Nuer community of Nasir, Ulang, Longechuk and Akobo. A few fightings between the government forces and SPLA-IO have been reported at the outskirts of Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile State.
In Central Equatoria, fighting and bombardments have been reported in Wunaliet, Luri, and Rajaf near Juba for the last two days.
In Jonglei State, fighting started this evening at around 8pm in a training center at Panyieri near Bor and continued until late.
In Unity State, a contingent of SSPDF defected to the SPLM/A-IO saying that the government of President Salva Kiir does not represent Nuer interest anymore citing the bombardment of civilians in Nasir and other counties of Eastern Jikany and Lou-Nuer, and the notorius fierce fighter, Lt. Gen. Matthew Puljang Top has issued a 72-hour stemming warning to the government forces in Mayom.
In other reports, several arrests of SPLM/A-IO senior leadership have been reported in Juba and Lake State where a deputy governor was arrested for releasing a statement over Nasir incident.
In a brief statement released by the U.S Department of State yesterday, March 25, 2025, President Salva Kiir and his First Vice President must engage in direct dialogue to curb the escalation of violence in the country.
“President Kiir and FVP Machar must engage in direct dialogue to curb escalating violence in South Sudan. Non-state militia attacks, govt-backed airstrikes, and promotion of sanctioned officials to high office are deeply concerning.” Read part of the U.S. Department of State statement.
