Ateker TV 
Uganda has deployed special forces to South Sudan’s capital, Juba, according to Uganda’s military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The move comes as escalating tensions between South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar raise concerns of a potential return to civil war.
The Ugandan military confirmed the deployment was made at the request of the South Sudanese government.
Recent days have seen heightened tensions in the oil-producing nation after President Kiir’s administration detained two ministers and several senior military officials allied with Vice President Machar.
While one minister has since been released, the arrests in Juba and deadly clashes near the northern town of Nasir have sparked fears that the fragile 2018 peace agreement, which ended a five-year civil war, could collapse. The conflict between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar previously claimed nearly 400,000 lives.
In a series of posts on the X platform late Monday into Tuesday, General Kainerugaba announced the deployment, stating, “As of 2 days ago, our Special Forces units entered Juba to secure it.”
He emphasized Uganda’s unwavering support for President Kiir, declaring, “”We, the UPDF, only recognize ONE President of South Sudan, H.E. Salva Kiir. He is our ‘Afande’ even in UPDF because he is the younger brother of Mzee! Any move against him is a declaration of war against Uganda!””
Ugandan military spokesperson Felix Kulayigye confirmed the deployment, stating, “Yes we did (deploy them) and they are there on the invitation of government of South Sudan. The situation will determine how long we’ll stay there” However, he declined to provide details on the number of troops involved.
South Sudan’s government information minister and military spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
This is not the first time Uganda has intervened militarily in South Sudan. During the 2013 civil war, Ugandan troops were deployed to Juba to support Kiir’s forces against Machar.
They were withdrawn in 2015 but returned in 2016 after fighting reignited. Uganda has long been concerned that a full-scale conflict in South Sudan could trigger a refugee crisis and destabilize the region, particularly along its northern border.
The latest deployment underscores the fragile nature of South Sudan’s peace process and the potential for renewed violence in the young nation. Observers warn that the current tensions could jeopardize the hard-won gains of the 2018 peace deal, with dire consequences for the region.
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