Uganda has deployed special forces in South Sudan's capital Juba to "secure it", Uganda's military chief said on Tuesday, but South Sudan's information minister denied the presence of troops, as tensions between South Sudan's president and first vice president stoke fears of a return to war.

Uganda has deployed special forces to South Sudan's capital, Juba, amid escalating tensions between South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar. This move follows government arrests and fears of revived civil unrest threatening the 2018 peace deal.

The leadership of the United People’s Alliance (UPA) has condemned the decision by the Government of South Sudan to invite the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to South Sudan amid tensions and conflicts in Upper Nile, Western Bhar Ghazal and Western Equatoria states.

Uganda has deployed an unknown number of troops to South Sudan in a bid to protect the fragile government of President Salva Kiir as a tense rivalry with his deputy threatens a return to civil war in the east African nation.

The situation in South Sudan is fragile and getting worse, with growing political and military instability. The claims made by the information minister do not reflect the reality on the ground.

"We shall protect the entire territory of South Sudan like it was our own," he added on the social media platform X. South Sudan's government has not yet commented on the deployment. Concern about the security situation in South Sudan has been mounting,

The deployment comes amid fears that a fragile peace deal could collapse following recent fighting between rival forces in the northeast. Ugandan army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba confirmed the move, saying,

The arrests in Juba and deadly clashes around the northern town of Nasir are seen as jeopardizing 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war