Uganda unfolds forces in Juba, says military chief

Uganda has deployed special forces in the capital of South Sudan, Juba, to help President Salva Kiir “secure it,” said Uganda’s military gene Muhzy Kainebaba.

This move comes when the tension escalates between Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar, causing fears that their fragile peaceful deal can collapse and the conflict can be resumed.

Gen Kainerugaba did not give reasons for the placement in the neighboring country, but said every move against Kiir “was a declaration of war against Uganda.”

“We will protect the entire territory of South Sudan as it was our own.” He added to the Social Media Platform XS

The South Sudan government has not yet commented on the deployment.

Concern about the security situation in South Sudan is developing, with the US ordering the evacuation of its entire continuity employee on Saturday.

Last week, the deputy chief of the army and two ministers – all Mahar – were arrested by the security forces, which the spokesman of the opposition called a “serious violation” of the peace deal.

Since then, one of the ministers has been released.

The arrests followed clashes in the Nile upper state between the government forces and the police known as the White Army.

He struggled with a Machar during the Civil War, which broke out in 2013 after a fight for power between him and Kiir.

This led to heavy battles in Juba, with Kiir blaming Machar in thinking a coup.

Machar denied the claim, but then South Sudan plunged into a civil war, killing over 400,000 people.

Agreement to share power in 2018 between the two stopped the fighting, but the key elements of the transaction were not applied-influencing a new constitution, elections and unification of armed groups in an army.