The arrest of an army general from South Sudan's main opposition is a "grave violation" of the peace deal that ended a five-year civil war, an opposition spokesperson has told the BBC. Gen Gabriel Duop Lam was arrested earlier this week, along with other senior officials of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO).

South Sudanese forces have arrested the petroleum minister and several senior military officials allied with First Vice President Riek Machar, Machar's spokesperson said on Wednesday, jeopardising a peace deal that ended a five-year civil war.

South Sudanese soldiers have surrounded Vice President Riek Machar’s home in the capital and several of his allies were arrested after an armed group allied to him overran an army base.

Security forces in South Sudan have arrested the oil minister and an army general, who are senior members of the main opposition, sparking concerns that the peace deal that ended the civil war may be under threat.

South Sudan's top oil and gas official has been arrested at home amid concerns that a peace deal struck in 2018 by long time rivals President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar is in danger of unravelling.

Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and General Doup Lam have been arrested, and Vice President Riek Machar's residence surrounded, as troops loyal to South Sudan's President Salva Kiir conduct an apparent crackdown.

South Sudan government has defended the controversial detention of allies of First Vice President Riek Machar, warning that they had a hand in skirmishes in Upper Nile State. Government spokesperson Michael Makuei confirmed the arrests, saying the officials had been detained due to “conflict with the law.”