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.

Tension mounts in South Sudan as power deal between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar unravels.

South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, has been repeatedly consumed by deadly feuding among politicians and militia leaders since its independence from Sudan in 2011. An estimated 400,000 people died in prolonged fighting in the oil-rich African country from 2013 to 2018.

Uganda's military chief said Tuesday his country had deployed special forces in South Sudan's capital Juba to "secure it" as tensions between President Salva Kiir and his First Vice President Riek Machar stoke fears of a return to civil war.

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,