Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The United Kingdom on Wednesday called on South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit to release his First Deputy, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, from house arrest.
The security forces placed Dr. Machar, the opposition leader, under house arrest in Juba in March 2025 amid escalating political tensions, raising fears of a return to civil war.
Machar was detained on March 26, 2025, following the earlier arrests of his key allies, such as Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, the chief of staff of the SPLA-IO, and Puot Kang Chol, minister of petroleum, and others over accusations of instigating the fighting in Nasir.
Addressing reporters at a press conference held in Juba on Wednesday, David Ashley, United Kingdom Ambassador to South Sudan, called for the release of military and political detainees, including the first vice president, Dr. Riek Machar Teny.
“We urge a return to dialogue and de-escalation, and that includes an immediate ceasefire and the release of political detainees detained by the National Security Service, NSS, and that includes the first vice president,” Ashley said.
He said he regretted reports of violations of a ceasefire agreement signed by parties in September 2018 in Ethiopia.
“We regret the serious and repeated violations of the ceasefire we have seen since February, including recently the bombing of the MSF hospital in Old Fangak on the 3rd of May.”
The security situation has been volatile since mid-February, when violence broke out between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the White Army, allegedly backed up by forces loyal to Mahar.
The fighting that took place on the outskirts of Nasir was triggered by the deployment of new troops to Nasir to rotate the troops stationed in the area for several years.
The move sparked unease among locals who fear the incoming forces may initiate disarmament.
The local community rejected the deployment, which included SSPDF and elements of Agwelek forces led by Gen. Johnson Olony; instead, they called for deployment of Necessary Unified Forces, as outlined in the 2018 peace deal.
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