Forces of the President of the South Sudan, Salva Kir, arrested Wednesday the first vice -president of the government (but also his big opponent) Rick Makar, as the latter’s lineup made known.

A heavy weapons vehicle under the Minister of Defense and the head of the National Security Service “forcibly invaded the home of the first vice president” in Juba – the capital of the younger state in the world – and arrested him, according to a statement.

Makar’s party stressed that “we strongly condemn the unconstitutional actions (…) of the Minister of Defense and the head of national security” against the first vice president.

“His bodyguards were disarmed and he was arrested for arrest with vague charges,” according to the SPLM-Io announcement.

This development followed a day marked by artillery fire near Juba.

Analysts estimate that Kir, 73 years old, has been seeking for months to settle his succession by politically weakening Makar. Over 20 political and military allies have been arrested since February, many of whom are held under extreme secrecy.

South Sudan, which proclaimed its independence from Sudan in 2011, remains submerged in poverty and insecurity after the many civil war in which Kir and Makar were involved.

This armed conflict left behind some 400,000 dead and 4 million forcedly displaced from 2013 to 2018, and this page returned when a fragile peace agreement was signed – but is now increasingly threatened.

The UN warns against new generalized armed conflict

The United Nations Mission to South Sudan (Minuss) today warned that Macar’s arrest brings southern Sudan to the brink of a new civil conflict, calling for self -restraint.

“The leaders of the country” are called upon to choose either the “recurrence”, the reopening of a “generalized conflict”, warned UN mission to South Sudan (minuss) Nicholas Haisom.

If the 2018 Peace Agreement collapses, it will be a disaster, “not only for South Sudan”, it will be hit by “the whole region,” Mr Heisom said.

Battles in Juba – Close their embassies western countries

The military arm of the Macar party accused the Federal forces of President Kir of attacking two training centers very close to Juba, yesterday Tuesday and Wednesday.

A spokesman for the Sudan Liberation Army in the opposition (SPLA-Io), yesterday as “terrorist” attacks these attacks and demanded that the international community react.

These training centers had been created to prepare opposition fighters to join the Single Armed Forces, under the key to the 2018 Peace Agreement.

These attacks were not confirmed by the army of President Kir, the defense forces of the people of the South Sudan (SSPDF), which however accused Mr Makar’s forces of doing “aggressive maneuvers”.

Fragments, which were clearly listened to two correspondents of the French agency at dawn yesterday, upset many citizens.

“I have the impression that we are returning to war, while what we need is peace,” said Lillian Skekez, a city resident.

Germany and Norway recently closed their embassies in Juba and the US, as well as Britain, have reduced their staff to their own diplomatic delegations, inviting their nationals to leave the country.

These four countries, along with Canada, the Netherlands and the EU, had previously proposed, without response, mediation between the two leaders.

For Daniel Acets, a researcher at the International Crisis Group, “the violence that began in March in Nasir” in the northeast of the country “seems to spread” to other states.

If there were broader conflicts, it would be a “very decentralized” war, which would make it a “very difficult” end, he said. As “it can quickly escape the control of the two leaders,” he estimated, criticizing the refusal of Mrs. Kir and Makar to begin dialogue despite the pressure exerted by the international community.

On Monday, Minuss Heisom chief had already reported attacks on civilians who were committed without any distinction, in particular air bombings with barrels containing “extremely flammable” liquid.

Yesterday he called on the two leaders to lead South Sudan “to peace, recovery and democracy” as they had agreed in 2018.