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 the charges stem from an attack in March by a militia allegedly linked to the vice-president. Roads leading to his residence in Juba are currently blocked off by military tanks and soldiers.
Forces loyal to Machar were embroiled in a five-year civil war against supporters of President Salva Kiir until a peace agreement was reached in 2018. Machar has been under house arrest since March, with the UN, African Union, and neighboring nations urging for calm.
The peace deal is crucial as it ended a conflict that resulted in nearly 400,000 deaths. However, increasing tensions between Machar and Kiir are evident amid ethnic strife and sporadic violence.
