Machar Details Years of Bloodshed in Nasir, South Sudan

Former First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar has detailed waves of deadly clashes between South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) soldiers and local youth in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, between 2021 and 2024. The violence resulted in civilian deaths, destruction of property, and mass displacement. Machar, the fifth accused in the ongoing Nasir case, described a series of confrontations triggered by disputes over arrests, the theft of fishing nets, firewood collection, and a child custody disagreement.

Machar testified during the 127th session of his trial that a wave of clashes occurred between February and March 2021 after SSPDF soldiers arrested two youth leaders following a confrontation between young people and government forces in Nasir town. The arrests triggered a standoff between the police, traditional chiefs, and the county commissioner on one side and the SSPDF on the other over who should take custody of the detained youths.

Another wave of deadly clashes between SSPDF soldiers and armed youth occurred between February 10 and 12, 2024, triggered by the theft of fishing nets. Machar said the fighting went on for three days, resulting in two youth killed, two wounded, and one member of the attacking SSPDF force wounded on the first day. The violence forced civilians to flee Nasir town and surrounding villages, while homes and other property were looted and destroyed, with some houses set on fire.

According to Machar, another confrontation occurred the following morning near Nasir town after soldiers reportedly left their barracks to collect firewood. The incident left one youth dead, four civilians wounded, and two children drowned in the river. Machar said fighting resumed on the afternoon of February 12, leaving six soldiers dead and two others wounded.

Machar identified another wave of violence between January 20 and August 17, 2024, involving 12 separate incidents in Nasir town and surrounding areas. He said the clashes involved killings on both sides and shelling of civilian residential areas, displacing approximately 40,000 people. The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) recommended accelerating the deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces to replace SSPDF troops.

Machar also described a fifth wave of violence that erupted in October 2024 following a dispute over the custody of a child fathered by an SSPDF officer. The two-day fighting left 13 SSPDF soldiers dead and six wounded. Five civilians, including a woman, three men, and an infant, were also killed, while 14 others were wounded. The court adjourned the session until Wednesday, November 11, 2026, when Machar is expected to continue presenting his defence.

Machar and seven co-defendants face charges including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, treason, destruction of public property, and crimes against humanity. Prosecutors allege that SPLA-IO forces allied with the White Army killed 257 SSPDF soldiers during the March 2025 attack on the Nasir military garrison. Machar is under house arrest, while the other defendants are being held at National Security Service facilities in Juba.

Key points

• The clashes between SSPDF soldiers and local youth in Nasir County resulted in civilian deaths, destruction of property, and mass displacement between 2021 and 2024.
• Machar testified that the violence was triggered by disputes over arrests, the theft of fishing nets, firewood collection, and a child custody disagreement.
• The Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) recommended the redeployment of SSPDF forces and the deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces to replace them.