Ugandan leader in S.Sudan after arrest of vice president

 

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni arrived in South Sudan Thursday after the arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar heightened fears of a return to civil war.

Machar was detained last week by forces loyal to President Salva Kiir, as international observers expressed concern over recent clashes between forces loyal to the two men and the United Nations urged dialogue.

The tensions threaten a 2018 peace deal, which ended a five-year civil war that killed around 400,000 people in the world's youngest nation.

 Museveni is the first head of state to visit South Sudan since Machar's arrest and said on X that he had travelled at the South Sudanese president's invitation.

"I look forward to our discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation between our two nations," he said.

He did not comment on the ongoing conflict or Machar's detention.

Uganda has long been involved in South Sudan, including facing accusations of meddling during the conflict, and only last month sent armed forces to support Kiir.

Last week, the deputy chair of Machar's party said the detention had "abrogated" the 2018 power-sharing agreement between Kiir and Machar.

Museveni's arrival follows that of African Union mediators, who landed in the capital, Juba, on Wednesday for talks with Kiir, according to the South Sudanese presidency.

Kenya's former prime minister was also in the city last week to help "de-escalate" tensions. He met the president but was unable to see Machar.

Clashes have roiled parts of the impoverished country, including near Juba where Machar's party denounced strikes against its forces.

Groups loyal to the vice president also condemned attacks in recent days in Upper Nile and southern Central Equatoria, saying they had "caused panic among civilians".

The fighting has already displaced more than 60,000 people, according to the UN. 

Also raising tensions is the arrest of more than 20 of the vice president's political and military allies since February, with some held incommunicado.