South Sudan's opposition party appoints new leader amid internal conflict and peace deal tensions.

South Sudan's opposition party, SPLM-IO, appointed Minister Stephen Kuol Par as interim leader amid the house arrest of long-time leader Riek Machar. The move, opposed by Machar loyalists, could threaten the 2018 peace agreement. The new leadership calls for Machar's release and continues to support the peace deal, despite internal divisions and accusations of a "soft coup" by President Salva Kiir's administration.