South Sudan on the Brink: Tensions Rise Amid Treason Trial of Riek Machar

Fri Oct 24 2025 16:54:51 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

As Riek Machar faces charges of treason and murder, fears grow that South Sudan could descend into civil war once more. Escalating political tensions and military movements are raising alarms across the region.

The world's youngest nation, South Sudan, is facing renewed fears of civil war as tensions rise surrounding the treason trial of Riek Machar, the suspended Vice-President. Following accusations of a political witch-hunt, Machar's party is calling for regime change while regional military dynamics intensify with the deployment of Ugandan troops in Juba. With a backdrop of economic mismanagement and longstanding ethnic divisions, the situation remains precarious and uncertain.

Fears that South Sudan - the world's youngest nation - could plunge into a new civil war have intensified after the party of suspended Vice-President Riek Machar called for 'regime change'.

The call came after Machar - currently under house arrest - was charged with murder, treason and crimes against humanity.

His party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement In Opposition (SPLM-IO), has denounced the charges as a 'political witch-hunt' to 'dismantle' a 2018 peace accord that ended a five-year civil war.

Meanwhile, extra troops from neighboring Uganda have been deployed to South Sudan's capital, Juba, as tensions escalate.

The latest crisis comes as a UN report has accused South Sudanese officials of stealing billions of dollars in oil revenues, leaving millions of people without essential services and fueling the deadly conflict.

Background

South Sudan, one of the world's poorest countries, gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of struggle led by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) under President Salva Kiir.

Just two years into independence, a civil war erupted when Kiir dismissed Machar as vice-president, accusing him of plotting a coup.

The ensuing conflict, largely fought along ethnic lines between supporters of the two leaders, resulted in an estimated 400,000 deaths and 2.5 million people being forced from their homes - more than a fifth of the population.

As part of the peace deal, Machar was reinstated as vice-president within a unity government that was meant to pave the way for elections.

Current Tensions

The current crisis was sparked at the beginning of March when the White Army militia, which was allied to Machar during the civil war, clashed with the army in Upper Nile state and overran a military base in Nasir.

Then on 7 March a UN helicopter attempting to evacuate troops came under fire, leaving several dead, including a high-ranking army general.

Nearly three weeks later, Machar and several of his associates were placed under house arrest. They were accused of trying to stir up a rebellion.

The government struck again, hitting Machar with treason charges in September, leading his party to denounce Kiir's government as a 'dictatorship' and demand 'regime change'.

The 2018 Peace Deal

While Machar's inclusion in the unity government was a critical part of the accord, many other elements remain unimplemented, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.

Corruption and its Effects

A UN report has accused South Sudan's political elite of misappropriating billions meant for essential services, further aggravating the dire humanitarian situation in the country.

Key Figures

Riek Machar and Salva Kiir have both been pivotal in South Sudan's turbulent history and their ongoing rivalry is deeply rooted in ethnic and political rivalry.

Potential Outcomes

With Malicious groups preparing for possible conflict and additional forces arriving in Juba, concerns grow over the prospects of renewed violence that could destabilize the region further.