Western nations and the European Union have called on South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir to lift the reported house arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar, warning that the move threatens to escalate the country’s fragile political situation.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the embassies of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union delegation, expressed “grave concern” over reports that Machar had been detained at his residence.
The diplomats urged Kiir to reverse the action and respect the 2018 peace agreement, which granted Machar his position in government.
“We call on President Kiir to reverse this action and to prevent further escalation. We note that First Vice President Machar’s position in the government is established under Article 1.7.2 of the 2018 Peace Agreement (the R-ARCSS),” the statement reads.
The envoys further demanded an immediate ceasefire from all leaders with influence over armed groups.
Machar’s reported house arrest comes amid rising tensions between his Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) and Kiir’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
The two leaders have been uneasy partners since signing the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) in 2018, which ended five years of civil war.
However, implementation of the deal has been slow, with disputes over security arrangements and elections scheduled for later this year.
Machar’s allies claim his detention, along with his wife and interior minister Angelina Teny, is a ploy to sideline him ahead of the planned December elections.
His party has previously accused Kiir of consolidating power and undermining the peace process by delaying the unification of security forces, a key provision of the 2018 agreement.
Kiir’s government has not officially commented on the reported house arrest, but sources close to Juba’s leadership suggest Machar’s movements have been restricted due to suspicions that he is mobilizing forces.
The political crisis has worsened insecurity in parts of South Sudan, where clashes between rival factions have persisted despite the peace deal.
Western diplomats are urging all parties to engage in direct dialogue to prevent a return to full-scale conflict.
“We impress upon leaders of all parties the urgent need to engage without delay in direct dialogue and demonstrate the sincerity of their assertions that they are working for peace,” the statement added.
The United Nations and regional bodies such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have also raised concerns about political instability in South Sudan, warning that any breakdown in the peace agreement could reignite large-scale violence.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but quickly descended into civil war in 2013 following a power struggle between Kiir and Machar.
The conflict, marked by ethnic violence and widespread atrocities, killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions before the 2018 agreement brought a tenuous peace.
However, continued disputes between the former rivals have left the country in a state of political paralysis, with the risk of renewed conflict growing as elections approach.