South Sudan’s deputy president warns of return ‘back to war’

By DENG MACHOL
Associated Press

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudan’s vice president is urging regional mediators to intervene to protect the country’s fragile peace deal, warning of a return “back to war” amid alleged attacks by government troops on his forces. Riek Machar accused President Salva Kiir of violating a 2018 truce in a letter to the regional mediator, the 8-nation Intergovernmental Authority on Development, known as IGAD. Machar said in his letter that “the security situation in South Sudan has been deteriorating for the last few months.” There was a heavy military deployment Monday in the capital, Juba, near the international airport and the presidential palace, highlighting the growing tensions.