South Sudanese rebels loyal to ousted vice-president Riek Machar have denied allegations that their leader was arrested in Ethiopia and deported to South Africa. A senior official from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM/-IO) said Machar voluntarily returned to South Africa after failed attempts to obtain a visa to enter Ethiopia and Sudan.
Media reports suggested the South Sudanese rebel leader was stopped at Bole International Airport and was told to go back to South Africa or faced deportation to South Sudan.
"These are false reports; there is no such a thing that our leader was arrested and extradited back to South Africa," the official, who spoke on conditions of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to media, told South Sudan News Agency (SSNA).
The official explained[1] Ethiopia did not grant access to Machar after "failed attempts by his protocol office to secure an entry visa."
Allegations of his temporary arrest surfaced shortly after Machar exclusively told IBTimes UK[2] during a phone interview from South Africa he was ready to go home and collaborate with the government to implement a peace deal and end the South Sudanese civil war, erupted in 2013.
Machar originally left South Sudan in 2013. His return[3], and his reinstatement as vice president in April had restored hopes for the implementation of the peace process signed in August 2015.
IBTimes UK's full interview with Machar: Peace agreement is the salvation of South Sudan[4]
However, he fled again following deadly fighting[5] in Juba in July.
The leader, who said went to South Africa for medical treatments, accused government forces of opening fire on his troops, and said he would return to Juba once a third-party force was deployed to ensure his and his officials' safety.
The government dismissed him and replaced him with Taban Deng Gai.

War, famine and abuses
South Sudan became the world's newest nation when it declared independence from Sudan in 2011. However, the country descended into civil war [6]in 2013 when President Salva Kiir, of the Dinka ethnic group, fired his deputy Machar[7] – from the Nuer group – and his cabinet.
Ethnic-related violence spread[8], with militia groups carrying out attacks in villages and areas known to be inhabited by either the Dinka or Nuer tribes.
An estimated 50,000 people have been killed[9], and millions are either facing starvation in the country [10]or have fled.
Latest estimates suggest at least 4.6 million people [11]across the country are facing hunger, amid fears food crisis might deepen as the conflict has now spilled into the Equatoria region[12], considered one of South Sudan's breadbaskets.
Both warring sides have been accused of committing crimes against humanity[13] including rape, torture [14]and the use of child soldiers[15].
The allegations were reinforced by rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW's) latest report, claiming government and rebel forces in and around the southern town of Yei have committed "serious abuses against civilians" [16]in recent months.
A recent UN probe concluded its mission in South Sudan (Unmiss) failed to protect civilians in July due to "a lack of leadership [17]on the part of key senior mission personnel".
The probe resulted in the sacking of Unmiss chief, a move than angered Kenya, which decided to withdraw its troops[18] from the UN peacekeeping mission.
References
- ^ The official explained (www.southsudannewsagency.com)
- ^ exclusively told IBTimes UK (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ His return (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ IBTimes UK's full interview with Machar: Peace agreement is the salvation of South Sudan (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ following deadly fighting (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ descended into civil war (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ deputy Machar (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ Ethnic-related violence spread (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ 50,000 people have been killed (www.aljazeera.com)
- ^ facing starvation in the country (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ at least 4.6 million people (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ the Equatoria region (radiotamazuj.org)
- ^ crimes against humanity (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ rape, torture (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ use of child soldiers (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ committed "serious abuses against civilians" (www.hrw.org)
- ^ a lack of leadership (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ withdraw its troops (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
Newer articles:
- South Sudan artists protest civil war with peace campaign - 25/11/2016 05:52
- South Sudan refugees resort to selling charcoal for survival - 25/11/2016 01:51
- South Sudan conflict reaches Yei, one of the safest towns in the war-torn country - 24/11/2016 02:33
- South Sudanese Flee One of Country’s Last Peaceful Towns - 23/11/2016 11:27
- South Sudan Rebels ‘Burned Civilians Alive:’ HRW - 23/11/2016 05:07
Older news items
- South Sudan: New abuse of civilians by both sides - 23/11/2016 01:53
- South Sudan spies feared to have infiltrated refugee camps in Adjumani - 22/11/2016 08:31
- South Sudan rebel leader denied entry in Sudan - 22/11/2016 04:01
- World 'must commit to ending South Sudan war' as violence continues and hunger looms - 21/11/2016 08:18
- This Is No Way To Honour Kenya's Contribution To Peace In South Sudan - 21/11/2016 06:39
Latest news items (all categories):
- UNDP and the Office of the Vice President Launches the Women and Youth Leadership Program in South Sudan - 14/02/2025 11:37
- The Grave Blunders And The Paradoxical Ways In Leadership Sector - 14/02/2025 11:32
- ADF approves $153.66 million for Uganda-South Sudan electricity interconnection project - 13/02/2025 20:48
- Rwandan peacekeepers in South Sudan get UN service medals for their service - 13/02/2025 20:44
- Afreximbank seeks to claw back US$657mn debt from South Sudan - 13/02/2025 20:30
Random articles (all categories):
- Job: UNICEF - Local Security Assistant GS (6) - Malakal - 27/04/2013 11:49
- South Sudan begins talks with ex-rebel leaders - 09/05/2013 06:56
- South Sudan Scraps Power To Arrest Without A Warrant - 22/02/2023 07:30
- Sudan and South Sudan reach agreement over oil after tense eight-month dispute - Telegraph.co.uk - 04/08/2012 11:20
- Obama sending 5 US military officers to S. Sudan - 10/01/2012 22:00
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 73165 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 22398 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 21624 times
- Top 10 weakest currency exchange rates in Africa in 2023 - 19/07/2023 00:24 - Read 19511 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 19259 times