March 26, 2025 Juba, South Sudan South Sudan’s First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, has reportedly been taken into custody by security personnel at his residence in the Amarat neighborhood of Juba. According to multiple sources, Machar accepted his arrest peacefully after being informed by high-ranking military officials.
The arrest comes amid escalating political tensions between Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) and President Salva Kiir’s government. Reports indicate that security forces, led by the defense minister and national security officials, entered Machar’s residence, served an arrest warrant, and disarmed his bodyguards.
The SPLM-IO has condemned the move, calling it a violation of the country’s Constitution and the Revitalized Peace Agreement, which was designed to bring lasting peace to South Sudan after years of conflict. Machar’s party has stated that they are working to locate him following his sudden detention.
International bodies, including the United Nations, have expressed concern over the political instability in South Sudan. Analysts fear that Machar’s arrest could further destabilize the fragile peace in the country, which has been struggling with ongoing violence and economic crises since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.
Further developments are expected as the situation unfolds.
