South Sudan peace deal unravels after VP's arrest

South Sudan's main opposition party said on Thursday that a 2018 peace deal that helped end the country's civil war had collapsed after party leader Riek Machar was arrested.

Machar's opposition SPLM-IO party said after his arrest that the five-year peace deal that had ended the country's civil war had "been abrogated."

It "effectively brings the agreement to a collapse, thus the prospect for peace and stability in South Sudan has now been put into serious jeopardy," a party representative said.

South Sudan's government has not yet commented on Machar's arrest nor his party's statement on the peace deal.

Inernational observers have sounded the alarm, fearing the return of civil war.

Head of UN mission calls for 'restraint'

Nicholas Haysom, the head of the UN mission in South Sudan on Thursday called on all parties to "exercise restraint and uphold the revitalized peace agreement."  

"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," Haysom said in a statement on Wednesday night.

The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan called a potential return to full-scale fighting "catastrophic," adding that it represented "a direct threat to millions of lives."

"The deliberate targeting of opposition leaders and civilians represents a reckless disregard for international law and the country's future," said Commission Chairwoman Yasmin Sooka.

"The Peace Agreement," added Sooka, "is not optional: it is binding. Its systematic undermining by political and military actors is not only unlawful but a betrayal of the South Sudanese people who have already endured years of devastating conflict."

Kenya's President William Ruto announced on social media that he had spoken to President Salva Kiir about Machar's arrest, adding that he would dispatch a special envoy to help defuse the situation.

The African Union (AU), too, voiced "deep concern" over the situation, urging all parties to "de-escalate." 

In Washington, the US Bureau of African Affairs called on Kiir to release Machar and "demonstrate sincerity of stated commitments to peace."

Tensions flare between Kiir and Machar

Kiir and Machar's parties have become increasingly antagonistic of late, especially after the White Army — an armed group close to the vice president — attacked a government military base in March. The government has responded with indiscriminate airstrikes in the area.

More than a dozen people have been killed since the airstrikes began in mid-March.

Machar's party has denied any connection to the White Army.

Both Germany and Norway this week announced the temporary closure of embassies in the country.

Political observers suggest that Kiir is attempting to solidify power by having Machar and is allies arrested. There is also agreement that he looks intent on naming Benjamin Bol Mel as his successor.

The businessman Bel Mol — who is on US sanctions lists for money laundering — was recently named second vice president.

Peace deal in jeopardy

Machar's arrest comes just days after the UN warned that South Sudan was teetering on the brink of renewed war as the result of clashes between the government and fighters allied with the vice president.

The peace agreement in question was signed in 2018 and ended a five-year conflict that killed 400,000 people.

That agreement led to a power sharing scheme in which Machar was one of five vice presidents working alongside President Salva Kiir in a unity government.

Edited by: Zac Crellin