The South Sudanese government on Tuesday defended its ongoing military operations and rejected calls for the release of political figures, including opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar, in a formal response to warnings from religious leaders that the country is sliding back into civil war.
The statement from the Office of the President follows a March 13 appeal by the South Sudan Council of Churches. Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla, the Catholic archbishop of Juba, had called for an immediate halt to military operations in Jonglei State, warning that intense fighting between government forces and opposition groups threatens to dismantle the fragile 2018 peace deal.
In its response, the government acknowledged the “deteriorating political, security, and humanitarian situation” but maintained that its primary responsibility is the enforcement of constitutional law. Officials characterized the ongoing military actions in Jonglei as necessary responses to security threats rather than arbitrary escalations.
The government blamed the recent hostilities on a faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A IO) led by Nathaniel Oyet Pierino.
According to the state’s account, this faction and an allied militia known as the White Army launched unprovoked attacks on government positions in Waat and Pajut between December 2025 and January 2026. Similar clashes were reported in Central and Western Equatoria, as well as the Ruweng Administrative Area.
While expressing concern for civilians caught in the crossfire, the government took a firm stance against the Church’s advocacy for the release of individuals facing legal proceedings. The statement specifically addressed the status of Dr. Machar, arguing that his release prior to the conclusion of his trial would “undermine the rule of law” and set a “dangerous judicial precedent.”
Machar’s prosecution stems from a March 2025 attack on a military garrison in Nasir. Prosecutors allege the assault left 257 soldiers dead and resulted in the destruction or seizure of $58 million in military equipment.
However, supporters and regional mediators from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have repeatedly called for Machar’s release. They argue his detention violates the 2018 peace agreement, which established a power-sharing government between Machar and President Salva Kiir. The longstanding rivalry between the two men has repeatedly plunged the world’s youngest nation into bloody conflict.
Government officials further criticized the Council of Churches for what they described as a “blur into partisan political positioning.” The statement emphasized that security operations and judicial processes are “inherently state functions” that must proceed without external interference from faith-based institutions.
Regarding the country’s political future, the government pointed to a December 2025 meeting of political parties as evidence of its commitment to a dialogue on upcoming elections. Machar’s faction was excluded from that meeting, which it later dismissed as “not inclusive” and its decisions as “not binding.”
The government concluded by dismissing the idea that the SPLM/A IO’s viability is tied solely to Machar’s leadership, asserting that the opposition group is a structured entity capable of functioning without him.
The president, accompanied by Minister of Presidential Affairs Africano Mande and the presidential press secretary, is currently visiting South Africa.