- Title: South Sudan says arrested VP Machar tried to stir rebellion
- Date: 28th March 2025
- Summary: JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN (MARCH 28, 2025) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS AND CAMERA EQUIPMENT DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH SUDAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON AND MINISTER OF INFORMATION, MICHAEL MAKUEI, SAYING: "The Nasir Defense Forces. One, attacked and over ran Nasi garrison. Number two, the SPLM-IO continues to mobilise and preach hate speech, hatred, and
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- Keywords: conflict kiir machar makuei michael riek salva south splm-ig splm-io sudan war
- Location: JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
- City: JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN
- Country: South Sudan
- Topics: Africa,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001257428032025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: South Sudan's First Vice President Riek Machar is under arrest and will be investigated on charges of trying to stir up rebellion, the government said on Friday, the first confirmation of a detention that world powers fear could reignite civil war.
Reports that Machar - a longtime rival of President Salva Kiir - was arrested on Wednesday prompted international calls for restraint. Neighboring Kenya sent its former prime minister, Raila Odinga, to defuse tensions.
Machar's party said this week that his detention had effectively voided a 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war between Kiir's Dinka forces and Nuer fighters loyal to Machar.
Government spokesperson and information minister Michael Makuei said in a statement that "Machar and his anti-peace colleagues of the SPLM/A-IO (Machar's party), who are under arrest will be investigated and brought to book accordingly."
He accused Machar of contacting his supporters and "agitating them to rebel against the Government with the aim of disrupting peace so that elections are not held and South Sudan goes back to war."
"The Peace Agreement has not collapsed and shall not under any circumstances," Makuei said.
There was no immediate response from Machar or his party to the allegations.
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