Uganda Sends Troops to South Sudan Amid Rising Tensions

The deployment comes in response to growing instability in South Sudan, where a recent crackdown on Machar's allies and other unrest threaten the fragile peace established by a 2018 power-sharing agreement.

Uganda has initiated troop deployment to South Sudan's capital Juba, aimed at supporting President Salva Kiir amid escalating tensions with his deputy, Riek Machar. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's military chief, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, asserting that any threat against Kiir would be seen as an attack on Uganda itself. “We shall protect the entire territory of South Sudan like it was our own,” he proclaimed on social media.

This move follows heightened security concerns in South Sudan, where the U.S. recently ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel. The conflict's potential revival stems from the arrest of several key officials aligned with Machar, perceived by opposition figures as a severe breach of their existing peace agreement. Despite some releases, the climate remains tense, particularly after violent confrontations between government forces and the White Army militia, who previously supported Machar during South Sudan's civil war that began in 2013, sparked by political rivalry.

The civil war has left deep scars on the nation, resulting in over 400,000 deaths. Although a peace agreement was brokered in 2018 to halt the fighting, significant components of the deal, such as a new constitution, timely elections, and military unification, remain unfulfilled. The interplay of local politics and international reactions highlights the fragility of peace in South Sudan, as regional dynamics and alliances take shape once again.