South Sudan’s First Vice President, Riek Machar, has been hit with charges of treason and several other serious crimes, according to local justice officials on Thursday, a development that is raising fears the young nation could be drifting back toward civil war.
Machar has been under house arrest since March after the transitional government, where he serves as deputy to President Salva Kiir, accused him of plotting subversive activities against the head of state.
In recent months, government forces have battled militias and armed groups allegedly loyal to Machar. Despite holding the second highest office in the country under the fragile 2018 peace deal, tensions have deepened as the agreement remains only partly fulfilled.
Aside from treason, Machar and seven of his allies are facing charges of murder, conspiracy, terrorism, destruction of public property and military assets, as well as crimes against humanity.
