Arrest of South Sudan's Vice President Sparks Fears of Renewed Conflict

South Sudan's First Vice President, Riek Machar, has been arrested, stirring international concern over potential war resurgence. The arrest challenges a 2018 peace deal ending a five-year civil war. Efforts by Kenya's Raila Odinga and regional leaders aim to ease tensions, amidst fears of renewed ethnic conflict.

In a development that threatens to destabilize South Sudan, First Vice President Riek Machar's arrest has been confirmed by the government. The international community fears this could reignite the civil war that ended with a peace deal in 2018.

The arrest, announced on Friday, drew swift responses from world leaders urging calm. Raila Odinga, dispatched by Kenya, leads efforts to defuse tensions as fears grow over the implications for the peace agreement settled between Machar and President Salva Kiir.

Allegations of Machar planning rebellion against the government underscore the fragile nature of South Sudan's peace process. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a cessation of hostilities, as historical echoes of past civil wars loom over the nation.

(With inputs from agencies.)