Riek Machar

===Return to vice-presidency and second sacking===

In late August 2015, a peace agreement was signed between the government and Machar's rebels. The agreement would make Riek Machar the vice-president again.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34069032|title=Will South Sudan peace deal be worth the wait?|publisher=bbcnews.com|access-date=26 August 2015|date=26 August 2015}}</ref><ref name=irin>{{cite web|url=http://www.irinnews.org/report/101918/is-south-sudan-s-latest-peace-accord-the-real-deal|title=Is South Sudan's latest peace accord the real deal?|publisher=irinnews.org|access-date=30 August 2015|date=26 August 2015}}</ref> In April 2016, as part of the peace deal, Machar returned to Juba and was sworn in as vice-president.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36140423|title=South Sudan rebel chief Riek Machar sworn in as vice-president|publisher=bbcnews.com|access-date=26 April 2016|date=26 April 2016}}</ref> Machar fled the capital after [[2016 Juba clashes|renewed fighting]] between the Kiir loyalists and his own loyalists Juba in July 2016.  After a 48-hour ultimatum given by the president to him for returning to Juba to progress with the peace agreement talks passed, the SPLA-IO in Juba appointed lead negotiator [[Taban Deng Gai]] to replace Machar and the government accepted him as acting vice-president. Machar said any talks would be illegal because he had fired Gai.<ref name=Gai>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/south-sudan-opposition-replaces-missing-leader-machar-160723144856580.html|title=South Sudan opposition replaces missing leader Machar|date=23 July 2016|publisher=aljazeera}}</ref>