Power Struggles Intensify in South Sudan as Vice President Dismissed

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has dismissed Vice President Benjamin Bol, a decision likely to stir tensions in Juba. Bol was a potential successor and had been sanctioned by the U.S. for corruption. His firing follows recent reductions in his security detail and comes amid escalating national violence.

South Sudan is once again embroiled in political turbulence as President Salva Kiir dismissed Vice President Benjamin Bol, a move perceived to intensify tensions in the capital, Juba.

Bol, previously considered a potential successor to Kiir, was removed without explanation, raising eyebrows amid growing apprehension about the nation's stability. Bol, who was sanctioned earlier by the U.S. for corruption, saw his security detail reduced hours before his dismissal was announced.

The removal of Bol, also stripped of his position as the ruling party's first deputy chairman, mirrors fresh internal rifts and slow-moving peace initiatives following a 2018 agreement to end a brutal five-year civil war. United Nations officials warn that the country is nearing a critical juncture as violence escalates and remedial measures are urgently needed.

(With inputs from agencies.)