SOUTH SUDAN: IGAD Calls For Immediate Release Of Arrested Machar Allies Amid Rising Tensions In South Sudan

By Debora Akur Chol, South Sudan

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), has called for the immediate release of officials allied with South Sudan’s First Vice President Riek Machar, warning that their detention threatens to undermine the country’s fragile peace agreement.

This plea comes amid heightened tensions following deadly clashes in Upper Nile State.

In a communiqué issued after an emergency virtual summit chaired by Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh, the East African regional bloc urged the government of President Salva Kiir to release the detained officials unless there is “credible evidence” to justify legal proceedings that are conducted transparently.

Although the statement did not specify the names of those arrested, it noted that the detentions have severely impacted the security mechanisms outlined in the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS), which was designed to end the five-year civil war between Kiir’s and Machar’s factions.

The call for their release follows violent clashes on March 7-8 in Nasir County, between Kiir’s forces and Machar’s loyalists, which resulted in the deaths of South Sudanese army commander Gen. Majur Duk and a United Nations staff member during evacuations.

In the aftermath, Kiir’s administration detained several allies of Machar, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and senior military officials.

IGAD condemned the violence and ordered its ceasefire monitoring body, the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM), to investigate the clashes and the attack on a UN helicopter. Additionally, IGAD announced plans to send a ministerial team to South Sudan’s capital, Juba, to assess stalled peace talks and encourage “inclusive dialogue.”

The 2018 peace agreement has been plagued by repeated setbacks, including delays in elections, unfulfilled security reforms, and persistent mistrust between Kiir and Machar.

While IGAD praised the joint appeal for calm from both leaders after the Nasir violence, the bloc expressed “deep concern” over ongoing ceasefire violations and urged the swift unification of the armed forces and the drafting of a permanent constitution.

Regional mediation efforts, such as Kenya’s Tumaini Initiative to engage non-signatory groups, were also endorsed.

IGAD emphasized the importance of support from religious and civil society leaders in promoting reconciliation.

Officials from Uganda attended the summit as observers, and envoys from the UN and the African Union underscored the need to align international support for South Sudan’s peace process.

In its statement, IGAD stressed that South Sudan’s stability depends on the implementation of overdue reforms and reiterated that “dialogue and discussion remain the only means for resolving differences.” While no specific consequences for non-compliance were outlined, IGAD indicated that high-level engagement will continue to avoid a return to conflict.

South Sudanese observer Edmund Yakani reacted positively to the outcomes of the summit, calling them “encouraging.” However, he urged the country’s leaders to act swiftly to implement the stalled peace commitments.

Yakani suggested that the IGAD summit could breathe new life into South Sudan’s peace process if both President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar fully honor their obligations under the 2018 peace agreement. He highlighted a “severe trust deficit” among the leadership of the unity government as the key barrier to completing essential reforms and transitional tasks.

According to Yakani, this lack of unity has allowed “peace spoilers” to hinder stability efforts.