JAKARTA - The South Sudanese forces have arrested the minister of peace development. This arrest follows the first arrest of a number of officials.
This was conveyed by Vice President Spokesman Riek Machar on Thursday, March 6, as the latest blow to the country's fragile peace process following the arrests of a number of other senior officials allied with Machhar.
"The National Security Service (NSS) has attacked again, arrested the honorable Stephen Par Kuol, Minister of Peace Development. From his office a few minutes ago," said Machar spokesman Pook Both Baluang, on social media platform X.
The arrests follow fierce fighting in recent weeks in a strategic city north of Nasir between national forces and the White Army militia, a group largely of armed Nuer ethnic groups Machhar.
The White Army fought alongside Machhar's troops in the 2013-2018 civil war that brought them together with troops most of whom were Health Office tribes loyal to President Salva Kiir.
Information Minister Michael Makuei on Wednesday accused troops loyal to Machhar of cooperating with the White Army and attacking a militarygun near the city of Nasir earlier this week.
Makuei did not respond to a request for response regarding the arrest of Kuol, one of the politicians involved in negotiations that reached the signing of the 2018 peace agreement to end the civil war.
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The vice president earlier this week announced the arrest of Minister of Oil and Development Puot Kang Chol, who came from Nasir, and deputy head of the army Gabriel Doup Lam, as well as other senior military officials allied with Machar.
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