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 announced that the charges against Machar are linked to a militia attack in March, allegedly involving forces connected to the vice-president.
To contain the situation, roads leading to Machar's residence in the capital, Juba, have been blocked by military tanks and soldiers.
Machar previously led forces against supporters of President Salva Kiir during a five-year civil war, which concluded with a peace agreement in 2018.
Since March, Machar has been under house arrest, drawing calls for calm from the UN, African Union, and neighboring nations.
The 2018 peace agreement aimed to end a conflict that claimed nearly 400,000 lives but has suffered from ongoing ethnic tensions and sporadic violence. The relationship between Machar and Kiir remains tense.
Alongside Machar, seven others have also been charged, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lt Gen Gabriel Duop Lam, all detained since March. Thirteen other suspects are still at large.
The March attack by the White Army militia, primarily composed of Nuer ethnic group fighters, involved an assault on an army base in Nasir, leading to casualties including 250 soldiers and a general, and the destruction of a UN helicopter.
Justice Minister Akech emphasized that this case reflects a commitment to hold all individuals accountable for atrocities regardless of their political standing and called for the judiciary process to take precedence over political discussions.
Machar has yet to respond publicly to the allegations regarding the militia attack.
South Sudan emerged as an independent nation from Sudan in 2011 but quickly descended into civil war just two years later.
