South Sudan’s army said it had recaptured a key town in Upper Nile state that it lost to an ethnic Nuer militia in March in clashes which led to the arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar and a spiralling political crisis.

President Salva Kiir has served in an uneasy power-sharing government with Mr Machar since a 2018 peace deal ended a civil war between fighters loyal to the two men, which killed hundreds of thousands of people.

Mr Machar’s detention under house arrest for trying to stir up a rebellion through his supposed support for the White Army militia in Upper Nile has ignited international fears of renewed conflict along ethnic lines.

Spokespeople for the military and the White Army, which Mr Machar’s party denies backing, said Nasir town was recaptured on Sunday without a fight.

“We were just taking a tactical withdrawal,” said Honson Chuol James, White Army spokesperson. He added that 17 people were killed during heavy bombardment of the nearby village of Thuluc.

Army spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang said the military was able to avoid an ambush in Thuluc thanks to close air support.

“They were spotted when they were grouping, and they were fired on, and then they dispersed,” Mr Koang said.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni visited Kiir earlier this month after deploying his army to help secure South Sudan’s capital, Juba, amid the heightened political tensions.

Uganda’s military chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also Mr Museveni’s son, claims his troops have since killed 1,500 fighters from the White Army, which fought alongside Mr Machar’s forces in the civil war.

Earlier this month, Mr Machar’s SPLM-IO party appeared to be starting to splinter.

One faction declared it had temporarily replaced Mr Machar as party chairman, while the armed wing said it remained loyal to their detained leader. 

(Reuters/NAN)