South Sudan vice president goes on trial with charges of murder, crimes against humanity

South Sudan vice president goes on trial with charges of murder, crimes against humanity
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South Sudan’s Vice President Riek Machar has been charged with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity following a deadly attack on a military base that killed over 250 soldiers, Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech announced Thursday.

According to Arab News, the charges stem from a March assault on the Nasir military base in northeastern South Sudan by the White Army, a militia of armed youths from the Nuer ethnic group, allegedly acting under Machar’s orders.

Machar has been under house arrest amid a power struggle with President Salva Kiir. The Justice Minister highlighted that the attack involved serious breaches of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, including desecration of corpses, persecution of civilians, and attacks on humanitarian workers.

The assault, which took place between March 3 and 7, resulted in the deaths of several senior military officers, including a general. Additionally, a United Nations helicopter came under fire during a rescue attempt, killing the pilot. This incident marks a significant escalation in South Sudan’s ongoing political and ethnic conflict.