The United Nations chief is urging regional and international leaders to prevent South Sudan from falling “over the abyss” into another civil war, and to speak with one voice to support a return to peace.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that a peace agreement in South Sudan was in a shambles, telling the country's leaders to put down the weapons and put all the people of South Sudan first.

South Sudan’s opposition said the arrest late Wednesday of First Vice President Riek Machar, the long-time rival to President Salva Kiir, had invalidated the two sides’ 2018 peace deal, the cornerston