Riek Machar Is Back Pushing Peace in South Sudan, but for How Long?

Riek Machar Is Back Pushing Peace in South Sudan, but for How Long?
South Sudan’s opposition leader, Riek Machar, center-left, is greeted as he arrives at the airport in Juba, South Sudan, Oct. 31, 2018 (AP photo by Bullen Chol).

Editor’s Note: Every Friday, WPR Senior Editor Robbie Corey-Boulet curates the top news and analysis from and about the African continent.

“I came only to confirm to people that I am for peace. The past is gone. We have opened a new chapter for peace and unity.”

That was Riek Machar, South Sudan’s opposition leader and former vice president, who returned to the war-torn country Wednesday after more than two years away. His upbeat tone was matched by President Salva Kiir, who similarly described the event as a turning point in a civil war that’s nearly five years old and, according to a report released in September, has claimed more than 380,000 lives.

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