Former First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar has strongly denied allegations that he ordered the late Maj. Gen. David Majur Dak to surrender during the March 2025 fighting in Nasir, Upper Nile State. He told the court that he instead made efforts to secure the general's peaceful evacuation following the outbreak of hostilities. This was during the 126th session of his trial on Monday.
Machar stated that his intervention came after a meeting of the presidency following the fighting that erupted in Nasir on March 3, 2025. He said he did his best to ensure Majur Dak's safe evacuation from the area. Machar emphasized that he was accused of having told the late Gen. David Majur Dak to surrender, which he described as untrue.
The Former First Vice President dismissed claims that he instructed Majur Dak to surrender, describing the allegations as politically motivated. He said he would excuse those who made such statements if they were not aware of the facts. However, Machar noted that those who knew the facts but still made such statements against him were politically motivated.
Machar also denied allegations that he and local youths held between 170 and 176 survivors of the March 2025 Nasir incident hostage. He insisted that he instead intervened to facilitate the evacuation of the survivors from Nasir to Juba, made possible through his actions following the fighting on March 3, 2025.
The Former First Vice President highlighted that more than 20 violent clashes occurred between government forces and local youths in Nasir and Ulang Counties over the seven years following the signing of the 2018 peace agreement. The violence primarily involved youths from Nasir town and surrounding areas, despite efforts to establish good relations between government troops and local residents.
Machar traced the clashes to August 20, 2020, stating that incidents continued through September 4 of the same year and May 11–12, 2021. He also cited further outbreaks of violence between February and May 2022, February 10–12, 2024, and several incidents between July 6 and August 17, 2024. According to Machar, 12 separate incidents occurred during the July–August 2024 period alone.
Machar and seven co-accused face charges arising from the Nasir clashes, including treason, murder, conspiracy, terrorism, destruction of public property, and crimes against humanity. They deny the charges. Prosecutors allege that forces aligned with the SPLM/A-IO and the White Army attacked a government garrison in Nasir, killing 257 soldiers, including Gen. David Majur Dak, and destroying or seizing military equipment worth approximately US$58 million.
Key points
- Machar denies ordering Gen. David Majur Dak to surrender during Nasir fighting.
- Machar claims he facilitated the evacuation of survivors from Nasir to Juba.
- The court case involves charges of treason, murder, and crimes against humanity.
