Arrests of South Sudanese Officials Signal Potential Government Coup

On March 5, 2025, senior South Sudanese officials, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and Lieutenant General Gabriel Doup Lam, were arrested amid a crackdown seen as a potential coup within the government. This raises concerns about the stability of the 2018 power-sharing agreement that ended the civil war. Tensions persist due to ongoing conflicts in Upper Nile state, amidst fears that the country may revert to war.

On March 5, 2025, several high-ranking officials in South Sudan were arrested amidst indications of a potential coup targeting a faction within the power-sharing government. Notably, the country’s petroleum minister, Puot Kang Chol, was taken into custody at his residence in Juba, alongside family members and bodyguards, as per a statement from the ministry’s press office. The operation was reportedly executed by the National Security Service agents.

This development followed the late Tuesday arrest of Lieutenant General Gabriel Doup Lam by troops from the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), aligned with President Salva Kiir, who subsequently surrounded the home of Vice President Riek Machar, head of the SPLM-IO party. A spokesperson for Machar characterized the arrest as a violation of the 2018 power-sharing agreement that facilitated the end of a five-year civil conflict.

The spokesperson expressed concern, stating, “This act puts the entire agreement at risk,” highlighting fears over the significant military presence around Machar’s residence. While official reasons for the arrests remain unclear, analysts indicate a connection to ongoing violence in Upper Nile state, where rebels from the ethnic Nuer community have recently clashed with government forces.

The SSPDF accuses General Doup Lam and his soldiers, who are largely from the same Nuer ethnicity, of collaborating with insurrectionists. Recently, the UN Mission in South Sudan reported escalating armed conflict in the region involving heavy weaponry, resulting in casualties among both civilians and soldiers.

South Sudan has a turbulent history marked by violence, originating from the civil war triggered in December 2013 following President Kiir’s dismissal of Machar, leading to approximately 400,000 fatalities and the displacement of over 2.5 million individuals. Although a peace agreement was established to curb significant fighting in 2018, the implementation has been incomplete, maintaining a fragile power-sharing government amid widespread poverty and violence. Following these arrests, President Kiir, representing the Dinka ethnic group, asserted that South Sudan will “not go back to war,” as reported by a government official.

The recent arrests of senior officials in South Sudan signal potential instability within the already fragile power-sharing government. As tensions rise and fears of a coup emerge, the impact on the 2018 peace agreement remains uncertain. Continuous ethnic violence, particularly in Upper Nile state, exacerbates the situation. President Kiir’s commitment to preventing a return to conflict will be crucial in navigating these challenges and maintaining peace.

Original Source: www.dw.com