Juba, March 5, 2025 – Security forces in South Sudan have arrested Oil Minister Puot Kang Chol and General Gabriel Doup Lam, both senior members of the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), raising concerns over the stability of the country’s fragile peace deal.
The arrests come amid rising tensions between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, with the latter’s residence in Juba briefly surrounded by troops. All other senior military officials allied with Machar have also been placed under house arrest, according to reports from Reuters.
Political Arrests and Rising Tensions
Col Lam Gabriel Paul, a spokesperson for the opposition, stated that the government has not provided any official reasons for the arrests. However, the detentions coincide with reports that the White Army militia, known for its allegiance to Machar, seized a strategic town in Upper Nile State near the Ethiopian border.
Some pro-Kiir military officers have accused Machar’s allies of supporting the rebel militia, further escalating fears of renewed conflict.
“This act puts the entire agreement at risk,” said Pal Mai Deng, a spokesperson for Machar, calling for international intervention to prevent the collapse of the peace deal.
Despite these developments, President Kiir’s spokesperson insisted that South Sudan would not return to war. However, experts warn that the situation remains precarious.
Growing Threats to Peace
The UN and African Union have already expressed concern that the violence in Upper Nile could spread to other regions. Political analysts, including Ter Manyang, head of the Center for Peace and Advocacy, warn that South Sudan risks slipping back into full-scale war unless urgent diplomatic efforts are made.
A Nation in Limbo
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, gained independence in 2011 but quickly fell into a brutal civil war in 2013, fueled by the rivalry between Kiir and Machar. The conflict, which lasted five years, claimed 400,000 lives and displaced 2.5 million people. The 2018 peace deal ended open hostilities but has faced multiple challenges.
Adding to the instability, South Sudan has never held an election, with polls now scheduled for 2026 after repeated delays.
With opposition figures under arrest and tensions escalating, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether South Sudan upholds its fragile peace or slides back into conflict.
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