South Sudanese security forces intensified their crackdown on Vice President Riek Machar’s allies on Thursday, detaining more senior officials as tensions mount over the fragile 2018 peace deal.

The arrests follow a violent confrontation earlier this week when an armed faction linked to Machar overran an army base in the north. In response, government troops surrounded Machar’s residence in Juba and detained key figures within his SPLM-IO party, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and Deputy Army Chief Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam.

Despite the growing crisis, neither Machar nor his party have issued a formal statement, though Water Minister Pal Mai Deng, a spokesperson for SPLM-IO, warned that the detentions jeopardize the already-delicate peace process.

Western diplomats and regional mediators have called for calm, urging President Salva Kiir’s administration to avoid actions that could reignite conflict. Ter Manyang Gatwich, Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy, has also appealed for the immediate release of detainees, warning that the situation could spiral into “a full-scale war.”

The political landscape remains uncertain, with the country still struggling to implement key provisions of the peace agreement. Elections originally scheduled for 2023 were postponed due to financial constraints, leaving South Sudan in a prolonged transitional period.

With tensions at an all-time high, citizens fear that the country could once again plunge into widespread violence if urgent steps are not taken to de-escalate the situation.