NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 11 – Uganda has deployed special forces to Juba in support of South Sudanese President Salva Kiir’s administration as tensions rise between him and First Vice President Riek Machar.

Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Tuesday confirmed the deployment of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) commandos, stating that the forces had arrived in Juba to lead an operation codenamed Mlinzi wa Kimya.

“UPDF commandos arriving in Juba to support South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) in the current crisis. Operation Mlinzi wa Kimya has begun. God bless UPDF!” read a post on his X account.

The deployment comes as Kiir’s administration intensifies a crackdown on Machar’s allies.

Two ministers and several senior military officials loyal to the First Vice President were recently detained, with one minister since released.

Unity government

The incidents have deepened concerns over the fragile peace agreement signed in 2018 to end a brutal five-year civil war that claimed nearly 400,000 lives and displaced millions.

The agreement reinstated Machar as Vice President in a power-sharing government formed in 2020, but its implementation has been marred by delays and political disputes.

Uganda has historically played a significant role in South Sudan’s conflicts.

In 2013, following the outbreak of civil war triggered by the power struggle between Kiir and Machar, Ugandan troops intervened in Juba to bolster Kiir’s government.

The war, marked by ethnic violence and mass atrocities, left South Sudan deeply divided.

While the 2018 power-sharing deal brought an end to open warfare, its slow implementation—particularly the delayed integration of armed groups into a unified national army—has left the country vulnerable to fresh conflict.

Machar’s camp has condemned the arrests of his allies and called for their immediate release.

The First Vice President has also raised concerns about President Kiir’s recent Cabinet reshuffle, which saw the removal of key officials seen as close to him.

Machar has called for the reinstatement of these officials, arguing that their removal violates the power-sharing deal and poses a threat to its existence.

The recent developments have sparked fears that the fragile peace agreement may not hold, with opposition figures warning that a return to war is becoming increasingly likely.

South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, gained independence in 2011 but has faced persistent internal conflicts and delayed elections.