South Sudan's vice-president Riek Machar charged with treason, murder
The charges come despite the peace deal of 2018 that ended a bloody five-year civil war between Machar’s supporters and forces loyal to President Salva Kiir.
South Sudan’s First Vice-President Riek Machar is facing charges of murder, treason, and crimes against humanity, a development that has raised fears of renewed conflict in the fragile nation.
Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech announced that the accusations are tied to a March assault carried out by a militia believed to be aligned with Machar.
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Security around Machar’s residence in Juba has been tightened, with tanks and heavily armed soldiers blocking access to the area.
The charges come despite the peace deal of 2018 that ended a bloody five-year civil war between Machar’s supporters and forces loyal to President Salva Kiir.
That conflict left nearly 400,000 people dead and displaced millions, but tensions between the two leaders have remained high amid sporadic outbreaks of violence.
The March assault, attributed to the White Ant militia made up largely of fighters from Machar’s Nuer ethnic group, targeted an army installation in the north-eastern town of Nasir.
Reports say about 250 soldiers and a general were killed, while a UN helicopter came under attack, leading to the death of its pilot.
“This case sends a clear message: those who commit atrocities against the people of South Sudan, against our armed forces, and against humanitarian personnel will be held accountable, no matter their position or political influence,” Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech said in a statement.
Machar, who has been confined under house arrest since March, has not issued any public comment on the allegations. Regional and international bodies, including the United Nations, the African Union, and neighbouring states, have urged restraint to prevent a slide back into civil war.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, achieved independence from Sudan in 2011 after years of fighting. But hopes for lasting peace were shattered in 2013 when civil war broke out, pitting Machar’s forces against Kiir’s government.
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