Prosecution of South Sudan's vice-president raises fears of return to full-scale civil war

"South Sudan's opposition and observers have warned that the prosecution of the country's suspended vice-president, Riek Machar, risks jeopardising a peace agreement that ended a devastating civil war and plunging the country into full-scale conflict once again. On 11 September, Machar was charged with murder, treason, crimes against humanity and other serious crimes in connection with a deadly attack by the White Army rebel group on a government army garrison in Nasir county in the country's north-east. President Salva Kiir then suspended him"

"The prosecution is the culmination of a series of developments this year triggered by the Nasir ambush that has escalated a longstanding feud between Kiir and Machar and raised concern for the fragile peace in the country. In March, the White Army, a group of community militias that fought alongside Machar's opposition forces during the civil war, overran a base in the county belonging to the country's military, the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF)."

"A UN crew member and at least 27 SSPDF soldiers were killed in gunfire a few days later, as a UN helicopter tried to evacuate troops from the county in Upper Nile state. The government responded by carrying out aerial bombardments in Nasir and neighbouring areas, killing and injuring civilians. Human Rights Watch accused the military of using incendiary weapons."

Prosecution of suspended vice-president Riek Machar on charges including murder, treason and crimes against humanity followed a deadly Nasir county attack by the White Army. The attack and subsequent events have deepened the feud between President Salva Kiir and Machar and raised fears for the fragile peace established after the civil war. In March the White Army overran an SSPDF base; later a UN crew member and at least 27 soldiers were killed during an evacuation. The government carried out aerial bombardments that harmed civilians, and Human Rights Watch accused the military of using incendiary weapons. Authorities arrested more than 22 SPLM-IO-aligned personnel and placed Machar and his wife under house arrest, while Kiir reshuffled the transitional government and removed officials aligned to Machar.

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