UPDATE 1-South Sudan's peacebuilding minister arrested, vice presidency says

Makuei did not respond to calls about the arrest of Kuol, who was among the politicians involved in negotiations that culminated in the signing of the 2018 peace deal to end the civil war. The vice presidency earlier this week announced the arrests of Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, who hails from Nasir, and the deputy head of the army Gabriel Doup Lam, as well as other senior military officials allied with Machar.

South Sudanese forces have arrested the peacebuilding minister, a spokesman for Vice President Riek Machar said on Thursday, in the latest blow to the country's fragile peace process after the arrests of other senior officials allied with Machar. "The National Security Service (NSS) has struck again, arresting Hon. Stephen Par Kuol, Minister of Peacebuilding... from his office a few minutes ago," Machar's spokesperson, Puok Both Baluang, said on social media platform X.

The arrests follow intense fighting in recent weeks in the strategic northern town of Nasir between national forces and the White Army militia, a loosely-organized group mostly comprising armed Nuer, Machar's ethnic group. The White Army fought alongside Machar's forces in the 2013-2018 civil war that pitted them against predominantly ethnic Dinka troops loyal to President Salva Kiir.

Information Minister Michael Makuei on Wednesday accused forces loyal to Machar of collaborating with the White Army and attacking a military garrison near Nasir town earlier this week. Makuei did not respond to calls about the arrest of Kuol, who was among the politicians involved in negotiations that culminated in the signing of the 2018 peace deal to end the civil war.

The vice presidency earlier this week announced the arrests of Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol, who hails from Nasir, and the deputy head of the army Gabriel Doup Lam, as well as other senior military officials allied with Machar. (Writing by Ammu Kannampilly; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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