South Sudan’s First Vice President Riek Machar faces treason and other serious charges, including murder and crimes against humanity, linked to a March attack by a militia in Nasir. He has been under house arrest since March amid fears that the country may revert to civil war.
The charges, announced by the justice ministry, accuse Machar of orchestrating the attack through military and political networks, raising concerns about increasing instability. Machar’s supporters dismiss the charges as politically motivated, criticizing the justice system’s independence. The move threatens ongoing efforts for peace, with Machar’s whereabouts unknown and calls for his fair trial. Historically rivals, Kiir and Machar have a long-standing conflict rooted in ethnic and political divides that contributed to South Sudan’s civil war beginning in 2013.
Leave a Reply