The army just fired Lt. Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam from his job as Deputy Chief of Staff in South Sudan's army. President Salva Kiir gave this important job to his friend Lt. Gen. Koang Gatkuoth Kerjiok instead. Under their 2018 peace deal, this position belonged to the SPLA-IO group led by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar. SPLA-IO attacked this move as a one-sided choice meant to break apart their organization.
Security forces locked up Lt. Gen. Duop Lam at the army headquarters in Bilpam, Juba, on March 4, 2025. He had shown up for a meeting that day when they grabbed him. The next afternoon, soldiers arrested Petroleum Minister Puot Kang at his house. These two arrests sparked fear across Juba, making the entire country less safe. President Kiir made matters worse by placing Dr. Machar under house arrest.
Kiir claims Machar tried to start a rebellion against the government. SPLA-IO announced Thursday that Machar's arrest has destroyed the shaky peace agreement from 2018. The United Nations, African Union, IGAD, plus several Western countries have demanded that Machar be free right away. UN boss António Guterres directly asked President Kiir on Friday to release Machar and bring back the unity government created by their peace deal.
African Union leader Mahmoud Ali Youssouf plans to send in the Panel of the Wise group led by retired Justice Effie Owuor from Kenya. The United States, United Kingdom, France, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, and the European Union all joined forces on Thursday, asking Kiir to free Machar. IGAD expressed serious alarm about the arrest, saying it badly damages the fragile 2018 peace agreement. The dangerous situation forced Germany and Norway to shut down their embassies in Juba, as America and Britain pulled out many staff members.
Security forces locked up Lt. Gen. Duop Lam at the army headquarters in Bilpam, Juba, on March 4, 2025. He had shown up for a meeting that day when they grabbed him. The next afternoon, soldiers arrested Petroleum Minister Puot Kang at his house. These two arrests sparked fear across Juba, making the entire country less safe. President Kiir made matters worse by placing Dr. Machar under house arrest.
Kiir claims Machar tried to start a rebellion against the government. SPLA-IO announced Thursday that Machar's arrest has destroyed the shaky peace agreement from 2018. The United Nations, African Union, IGAD, plus several Western countries have demanded that Machar be free right away. UN boss António Guterres directly asked President Kiir on Friday to release Machar and bring back the unity government created by their peace deal.
African Union leader Mahmoud Ali Youssouf plans to send in the Panel of the Wise group led by retired Justice Effie Owuor from Kenya. The United States, United Kingdom, France, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, and the European Union all joined forces on Thursday, asking Kiir to free Machar. IGAD expressed serious alarm about the arrest, saying it badly damages the fragile 2018 peace agreement. The dangerous situation forced Germany and Norway to shut down their embassies in Juba, as America and Britain pulled out many staff members.
