Failed Evacuation and Broken Promises: Key Testimony Deepens Crisis in Machar Treason Trial

An analysis of pivotal court testimony reveals the operational and political failures at the heart of a deadly 2025 military clash in South Sudan, with profound implications for the country’s fragile peace.

Juba, South Sudan – New testimony in the high-stakes treason trial of suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar has shifted focus from abstract legal charges to a granular, tragic narrative of a failed military evacuation, casting a harsh light on the collapse of security guarantees and coordination during a critical moment in March 2025.

The 30th session of the Special Court, held in Juba’s Freedom Hall, saw Brigadier General Santino Akot Abiem, a senior SSPDF officer, deliver a detailed account of the botched attempts to rescue soldiers trapped in Nasir following its capture by allied White Army and SPLA-IO forces. His testimony, based on a report he authored, provides the most concrete public timeline yet of the events that led to the death of General David Majur Dak and dozens of soldiers, forming the factual core of the prosecution’s case.

The Anatomy of a Failed Evacuation

Brig. Gen. Akot’s testimony, as reported by Eye Radio, outlines a sequence of breakdowns. Ordered by the Chief of Defence Forces, the evacuation was to be a coordinated humanitarian effort involving the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

According to Akot, Dr. Machar, tasked by the presidency to liaise with international bodies, provided assurances that White Army and SPLA-IO forces would maintain a 300–500 meter perimeter from the designated landing zone. “These guarantees were not respected on the ground,” Akot stated, a claim that now sits at the legal and political heart of the trial.

Three Attempts, Mounting Catastrophe

The operational details presented to the court paint a picture of escalating chaos:

• March 5-6: Initial UN aircraft found landing zones empty or mistakenly entered hostile territory. UN helicopters came under direct fire, forcing an abort. The ICRC withdrew, citing a lack of credible security guarantees.
• March 7: In a critical third attempt, the UN requested that Angelina Teny, Machar’s wife and a senior SPLM-IO figure, accompany the flight to persuade fighters on the ground. Machar reportedly refused, stating the government “would never accept” her travel to Nasir. Instead, two other SPLA-IO officials were dispatched.
• The Fatal Landing: Upon landing with these officials and a Ukrainian UN crew member, fighters opened fire as six SSPDF survivors moved to board. The Ukrainian was killed, the SPLA-IO officials boarded safely, and the helicopter retreated with hostile fighters attempting to enter.

Broken Communication and a General’s Death

Perhaps the most harrowing part of Akot’s testimony concerns the final moments of General Majur. Akot, coordinating from a UN base in Juba, maintained radio contact with soldiers trapped with the General in an armored vehicle. He testified that he was told they witnessed Majur being killed and White Army forces advancing. Communication was finally lost as the soldiers reported being burned inside their tank.

This testimony directly links the breakdown of the promised security perimeter to the specific fatalities that underpin the most serious charges, including murder and crimes against humanity.

Contextualizing the Testimony: Political and Legal Stakes

This evidentiary narrative does not exist in a vacuum. It must be analyzed within the broader framework of South Sudan’s perpetually shaky peace process.

1. The Question of Integration: Earlier testimony from the first witness, Major Peter Malwal Deng, revealed that the integration of SPLA-IO forces into the unified SSPDF was “still ongoing” at the time of the Nasir clashes. This ongoing ambiguity over chain of command and force control is a crucial backdrop, potentially explaining conflicting orders and the apparent inability of SPLA-IO leadership to control allied White Army militias on the ground.

2. Machar’s Dual Role: Akot confirmed Machar remained in constant communication with UN, IGAD, and local officials throughout the operation. The prosecution will likely argue this shows he was in a position of authority and responsibility. The defence may counter that it demonstrates his engagement in peaceable coordination, undermined by rogue elements on the ground he could not control—a recurring theme in South Sudan’s conflicts.

3. The Charges and Their Burden: The charges—ranging from treason and terrorism to crimes against humanity—require proving intent and a systematic pattern. The evacuation testimony provides a specific, tragic incident. The prosecution’s challenge will be to convincingly chain this incident to the direct orders and intent of Machar and the seven co-accused, rather than portraying it as a tragic failure of implementation amid a volatile security situation.

Conclusion: A Trial Testing More Than Individuals

The testimony from Session 30 moves the Machar trial beyond a political spectacle. It grounds the proceedings in a stark, operational reality. Whether the court finds the evidence sufficient to meet the high bar of the charges remains to be seen, particularly following the defence’s upcoming cross-examination of Brig. Gen. Akot.

Ultimately, this trial is a stress test for South Sudan’s judicial system and its ability to adjudicate complex events born from a fractured political and military landscape. The detailed story of the failed Nasir evacuation is no longer just a military incident; it is a central legal exhibit in a case that will have profound ramifications for accountability, political reconciliation, and the future stability of the world’s youngest nation.

Primary Source Attribution: This analysis is based on the original court reporting from Eye Radio’s “Session 30: Inside the cross-examination of the second prosecution witness.”