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 stem from 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 military tanks and soldiers, indicating heightened security measures.
Machar's supporters had been involved in a five-year civil war against forces loyal to President Salva Kiir until a peace deal was achieved in 2018, which ended a conflict that resulted in nearly 400,000 deaths.
Since March, he has been under house arrest, prompting calls for calm from the UN, African Union, and neighboring countries as tensions rise between him and President Kiir. The peace agreement, although significant, has seen relationships fray amidst ethnic unrest and sporadic violence, raising alarms about a potential resurgence of civil war.
