Uganda Sends Special Forces to South Sudan Amid Rising Tensions

Uganda's military chief has confirmed the deployment of special forces to South Sudan's Juba, emphasizing the commitment to protect the country amid increasing tension between political leaders and a fragile peace agreement.

Uganda has taken a decisive step by dispatching special forces to South Sudan's capital, Juba, to assist President Salva Kiir in maintaining security, according to Uganda's military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. This move arises against a backdrop of rising tensions between Kiir and his deputy, Riek Machar, causing concerns regarding the potential collapse of their existing peace deal and the re-ignition of conflict.

Gen Kainerugaba, announcing the deployment via the social media platform X, stated that any opposition to President Kiir would be viewed as an act of war against Uganda. "We shall protect the entire territory of South Sudan like it was our own," he declared. Although the South Sudanese government has yet to publicly respond, worries about the country’s deteriorating security climate have prompted the United States to evacuate all non-emergency personnel from the region.

These developments follow the recent arrest of South Sudan's deputy chief of the army and two ministers affiliated with Machar, a move that has been criticized by opposition representatives as a serious infringement on the peace agreement. While one minister has been released, the arrests came in the wake of violent clashes in the Upper Nile State involving government troops and a militia named the White Army, which previously sided with Machar during South Sudan’s prolonged civil war.

This internal strife traces back to a power struggle initiated in 2013 between Kiir and Machar, culminating in a civil war that has claimed over 400,000 lives. Although a 2018 power-sharing deal temporarily halted the fighting, critical components of that agreement—such as the establishment of a new constitution, elections, and unification of military forces—remain unrealized, raising alarms about the stability of South Sudan moving forward.