Tension in South Sudan as rebel leader Riek Machar fails to return to Juba

South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar failed to return to the capital of Juba for the second time Tuesday over a security detail dispute.

Machar, who was expected to fly in to Juba from Gambela, Ethiopia, to be sworn in as the Vice President insisted that he travels with about 162 soldiers besides the nearly 1400 opposition troops already in Juba.

The government, however, maintained that Machar did not need to travel with troops as his protection force was already on the ground.

In a statement, the government of South Sudan under the leadership of Salva Kiir insisted that they will not accept any additional arms or surplus forces to be brought into Juba.

“The government reiterates its full commitment to the implementation of the agreement and calls upon JMEC, IGAD, Plus,UN,AU, TORIKA, EU,IPF,China  and the international community to exert more pressure on the 1st vice president designate Dr Riek Machar and the entire leadership of the SPLM/A-IO to reconsider this unrealistic demands and decision and join the people of South Sudan in the peace process and establish the TGoNU and start the transition period,” read the statement

Machar’s much anticipated swearing in was a key part of the peace process aimed at ending more than two years of civil war.

According to the rebel spokesman William Ezekiel, the rebels were still committed to the peace process agreed last August saying Machar was delayed for a second time because of rain.

The civil war broke out over tensions between President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar who was sacked as Vice President in July 2013.