Uganda has deployed special forces to South Sudan’s capital, Juba, in a move aimed at securing the city and supporting President Salva Kiir.
The announcement came from Uganda’s military chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who described Kiir as a close ally of Uganda.
The deployment comes amid growing tensions between Kiir and his deputy, Riek Machar, raising fears that their fragile peace agreement could collapse. While Gen Kainerugaba did not give an official reason for the troop movement, he warned that any attempt to remove Kiir would be considered an act of war against Uganda. He also stated that Uganda would defend South Sudan as if it were its own territory.
The South Sudanese government has not yet commented on Uganda’s military presence. Meanwhile, concerns about security in the country are growing. The United States recently ordered the evacuation of non-essential embassy staff, citing the worsening situation.
Tensions escalated last week when South Sudanese security forces arrested the deputy army chief and two government ministers aligned with Machar. One minister has since been released, but opposition leaders have condemned the arrests as a serious violation of the peace deal.
Violence has also erupted in Upper Nile state, where government troops clashed with the White Army, a militia that previously fought alongside Machar during the civil war. These developments have raised fears of renewed conflict, similar to the one that broke out in 2013 after Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup. The war led to the deaths of more than 400,000 people before a power-sharing agreement in 2018 brought an uneasy peace.
Despite the deal, key elements remain unfulfilled, including the creation of a new constitution, elections, and the integration of rival armed groups into a single national army. Uganda’s latest intervention signals deepening regional involvement as South Sudan struggles to maintain stability.