South Sudan crisis: Splinter group ousts Machar as SPLM-IO leader

Riek Machar

South Sudan's First Vice President Riek Machar.

Photo credit: File | Anadolu Agency via AFP

South Sudan’s main opposition party, Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), is in a crisis after members of a splinter group replaced First Vice-President Riek Machar, who is under house arrest, as party leader.

Stephen Par Kuol was named interim chairman in the controversial decision arrived at during a meeting in Juba on Wednesday, which was largely boycotted by top officials of the party.