South Sudan's Vice-President Riek Machar Faces Serious Charges Amid Rising Tensions

Sat Sep 13 2025 14:23:42 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Riek Machar, the First Vice-President of South Sudan, has been charged with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity in a move that raises fears of renewed civil conflict.

South Sudan's First Vice-President Riek Machar has been charged with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity, stemming from an attack by a militia allegedly linked to him. This development comes as he remains under house arrest, with heightened military presence around his residence. The situation raises fears of escalating tensions between factions in the country, which has previously experienced a devastating civil war. Calls for calm have been issued by international bodies including the UN and the African Union.

South Sudan's First Vice-President Riek Machar has been charged with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity in a move that some fear could reignite the country's civil war.

Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech stated that the charges against Machar relate to an attack in March by a militia allegedly linked to the vice-president.

The roads leading to his house in the capital, Juba, have been blocked by tanks and soldiers.

Forces loyal to Machar fought a five-year civil war against those backing President Salva Kiir until a 2018 peace deal.

He has been under house arrest since March, with the UN, African Union, and neighbouring countries all calling for calm.

The 2018 peace deal ended a conflict that had killed nearly 400,000 people; however, the relationship between Machar and Kiir has become increasingly strained amid ethnic tensions and sporadic violence.