2025.10.10 Duk County authorities recover 58 cattle raided cattle
The authorities in Jonglei State’s Duk County said they have recovered 58 head of cattle following a raid last weekend that targeted herders from neighboring Twic East County.
The attack reportedly occurred at dawn last Saturday in Poktap, Duk County, where herdsmen from Twic East had moved their livestock in search of better grazing land.
According to Twic East County Commissioner Juach Arok, armed raiders stole more than 300 cattle during the incident.
However, Duk County Commissioner John Chatim disputed the figure after an official investigation.
“Investigations indicated that only 99 cattle were raided, and 58 have been recovered so far,” he revealed. “41 are still being traced from the suspected raiders who hail from Duk.”
While welcoming the recovery effort, Commissioner Arok said the cattle have not yet been officially handed over to Twic East authorities for return to their rightful owners.
In a related development, Commissioner Chatim urged authorities in Twic East to reciprocate by returning 46 cattle allegedly confiscated from an individual from Duk. “We call on our brothers in Twic East to return the cattle taken from one of our residents,” he said.
Commissioner Arok, however, denied any official knowledge of such a confiscation.
“I have heard of a man who may have abandoned his cattle out of fear after the incident, but I have no idea of cattle being confiscated in Twic East,” he said.
The incident comes amid rising tensions between some communities in Duk and Twic East, who have recently clashed over the disputed fishing island of Buoth Agany. Local leaders have called for calm and greater cooperation to prevent further escalation.
2025.10.9 Prosecutors submit new exhibits in Machar treason case
The special court established to try South Sudan’s suspended First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and seven co-accused resumed proceedings Wednesday, holding its eighth session at Freedom Hall in Juba.
During the session, prosecutors submitted four additional documentary exhibits and two physical items for consideration. Despite objections from the defense, the court provisionally admitted the materials.
One of the exhibits included a letter from the National Communications Authority, dated Sept. 5, 2025, concerning the extraction of data from electronic devices allegedly belonging to the accused. It was submitted along with two ministerial orders from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, also dated Sept. 5, authorizing the photographing and approval of the extracted evidence.
The defense argued that the documents were issued after the case had already been referred to the court on Sept. 1, raising concerns about procedural integrity.
Another exhibit was a report from the National Security Service, dated Sept. 3, detailing a radio signal device allegedly linked to Machar. Additional materials included USB flash drives said to contain audio and video recordings related to the Nasir incident, and a notebook allegedly documenting communication logs associated with the radio device.
The defense challenged the legality of the evidence, citing violations of Article 22 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy, and arguing the items were obtained without a warrant or adherence to search procedures under the Criminal Procedure Act of 2008.
A third exhibit presented by prosecutors was a report dated March 10, 2025, signed by Gen. Santino Deng Akot of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces. It detailed the evacuation of government troops from Nasir following the overrun of an SSPDF base by armed youth on March 4.
The defense countered that the evacuation, including the recovery of the bodies of the late Gen. David Majur Dak and a U.N. staff member, was coordinated by Machar with the knowledge of President Salva Kiir, the Cabinet, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and peace agreement guarantors.
The final documentary exhibit was a press statement issued by the U.N. Security Council on March 21, 2025, condemning an attack on U.N. personnel. The defense emphasized that the statement did not mention the accused or link them to the incident under investigation.
Prosecutors also introduced a Samsung mobile phone and a MacBook laptop, which they said belonged to Machar. The defense objected to their admission on constitutional grounds, reiterating that the devices were seized without a warrant and in violation of privacy laws.
The court deferred a ruling on the admissibility of the devices until a forensic expert can analyze the data reportedly extracted from them.
The court granted the defense team one hour to visit the seven detainees currently held at the National Security Service’s Blue House facility. Three of the detainees — Gen. Gabriel Duop Lam, 1st Lt. Mading Yak Riek and Dominic Gatgok Riek — were recently transferred to the Blue House from other detention centers in Giyada.
In a separate decision, the court allowed Gatwech Lam Puoch to leave temporarily to offer condolences to his family following the death of a relative.
Presiding Judge James Alala Deng adjourned proceedings to Monday, Oct. 13. The next session is expected to continue with testimony from forensic experts.
Machar and the seven other accused face charges including treason, crimes against humanity, mass murder, terrorism and destruction of property.
The case relates to attacks in March 2025 on an army base in Nasir County that killed Gen. David Majur Dak and dozens of soldiers. The government has alleged the assaults were carried out by Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army-in-Opposition and an allied militia known as the White Army.
2025.10.8 At least 14 soldiers killed as “love triangle” turns deadly in South Sudan, army says
At least 14 soldiers were killed and several others injured in South Sudan after a suspected “love triangle” dispute led to a deadly shootout, the army said on Wednesday.
A clash between members of the Unified VIP Protection Force, which comprises government troops and opposition fighters, erupted on Monday at a market near the oil-rich Abyei Box region, which straddles the border between Sudan and South Sudan.
A fragile power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and his long-time rival, Riek Machar, has been unravelling for months, threatening to return the young nation to a civil war that left 400,000 dead in the 2010s.
Machar was indicted last month on charges of murder, treason and crimes against humanity, and was stripped of his position as first vice president in the unity government, further fueling fears of renewed tensions. Machar’s spokesperson condemned the move as a “political witch-hunt,” BBC News reported.
According to South Sudan People’s Defence Forces spokesman Lul Ruai Koang, Monday’s dispute began between two officers, one pro-Machar and the other pro-Kiir.
“There are two conflicting accounts regarding the cause of the crisis: first version says it was a purely personal misunderstanding between the two officers at a tea place and the other says it was a love triangle,” Koang told reporters during a press briefing at the army general headquarters in the capital Juba.
“The two men reportedly quarreled after both were reported to be romantically involved with the same lady,” he said.
The situation escalated when the Machar-aligned officer shot his Kiir-aligned counterpart, prompting their respective bodyguards to open fire.
Violence then erupted from the market, spreading to primary checkpoints and barracks, Koang said.
“A total of 14 servicemen were killed: six from the SPLA-IO (Machar’s party) and eight from the SSPDF,” Koang confirmed.
One civilian was reportedly caught in the crossfire, with their condition yet to be confirmed, while five soldiers were injured and are receiving treatment.
Koang said the incident was not “politically motivated” but confirmed that an investigation has been launched.
The United Nations rights chief warned last month that South Sudan is on the brink of renewed war, as nearly 2,000 civilians have been killed in surging violence this year.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but quickly fell into a five-year civil war.
A 2018 peace deal ended the fighting, but leaders have repeatedly failed to hold elections or unify their armed forces. The United Nations, African Union and neighboring countries are calling for calm in the world’s newest country, BBC News reported.
On Tuesday, an international ceasefire monitor said parties to South Sudan ‘s faltering peace agreement have recruited new fighters and abducted children to participate in the conflict. Tuesday’s statement by the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, or RJMEC, said South Sudan’s military in June opened a recruitment drive for 4,000 forces for peacekeeping and other purposes and that it opened a new training center in August.
A statement read by Anita Kiki Gbeho, the second most senior U.N. official in the country, said that civilian casualties resulting from the conflict between January and September had risen 59% compared to the same period in 2024.
Roughly 321,000 people had been displaced by fighting, and incidents affecting humanitarian access had doubled from the previous year, she said.
Earlier this year, the United States ordered the immediate departure of non-emergency personnel from the capital of South Sudan, citing an increase in crime, kidnapping and armed conflict.
2025.10.6 ICC convicts Darfur militia leader over past atrocities in Sudan
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The International Criminal Court on Monday convicted a leader of the feared Janjaweed militia of playing a leading role in a campaign of atrocities committed in the Sudanese region of Darfur more than 20 years ago.
It was the first time the court has convicted a suspect of crimes in Darfur. The three-judge panel ruled that the atrocities, including mass murders and rapes, were part of a government plan to violently snuff out a rebellion in the western region of Sudan.
Ali Muhammad Ali Abd–Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, wearing a suit and tie and listening through a headset, showed no emotion as Presiding Judge Joanna Korner read out 27 guilty verdicts. He will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum life sentence.
He was convicted of crimes for leading Janjaweed militia forces in Darfur that went on a campaign of killing in 2003-2004.
“He encouraged and gave instructions that resulted in the killings, the rapes and destruction committed by the Janjaweed,” Korner said, adding that the verdicts were unanimous.
Abd–Al-Rahman pleaded innocent to all 31 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity when his trial opened in April 2022 and argued he was not the person known as Ali Kushayb.
The judges rejected that defense. They declined to deliver verdicts on four charges because they considered that the crimes were covered by other charges for which he was convicted.
The verdicts came as allegations of atrocities and famine continue to emerge from Sudan in a new conflict. In July, the ICC’s deputy prosecutor told the United Nations that war crimes and crimes against humanity continue in Sudan’s vast Darfur region where civil war has raged for more than two years.
The judges ruled that Abd-Al-Rahman was a senior commander in the Janjaweed militias during the Darfur conflict that erupted when rebels from the territory’s ethnic central and sub-Saharan African community launched an insurgency in 2003, complaining of oppression by the Arab-dominated government in the capital, Khartoum.
Then-President Omar al-Bashir’s government responded with a scorched-earth campaign of aerial bombings and raids by the Janjaweed, who often attacked at dawn, sweeping into villages on horseback or camelback.
The campaign included mass killings and rapes, torture and persecution. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes in Darfur over the years. Al-Bashir has been charged by the ICC with crimes including genocide, but he has not been handed over to face justice in The Hague.
During the trial, judges heard from 56 witnesses who described horrific violence and the use of rape as a weapon to terrorize and humiliate women. One witness said that during one massacre, Abd-Al-Rahman allegedly told fighters: “Repeat, repeat for these people. Maybe there are some that you have missed.”
Defense lawyers called 17 witnesses and argued that Abd-Al-Rahman was not a militia leader, but rather “a no one” who had no involvement in the Darfur conflict.
As the verdicts are announced in The Hague, conflict rages in Sudan between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s military. Tensions erupted in 2023 between the two previous allies that were meant to oversee a democratic transition after a 2019 uprising.
The fighting has killed at least 40,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, and displaced as many as 12 million others. More than 24 million people are facing acute food insecurity in Sudan, according to the World Food Program.
Two decades ago, the RSF was born out of the Janjaweed militias, and Janjaweed groups still help the RSF.
“The ICC’s long-awaited landmark conviction for serious crimes in Darfur provides the first opportunity for victims and communities terrorized by the Janjaweed to see a measure of justice before the court,” said Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch. “With the current conflict in Sudan producing new generations of victims and compounding the suffering of those targeted in the past, the verdict should spur action by governments to advance justice by all possible means.”
On Friday, the court heard statements from four accused SPLM-IO members, including Machar.
Judges also admitted four prosecution documents, among them the order authorising the trial, the justice ministry’s directive forming the investigation and prosecution committee, Machar’s arrest sanction, and parliament’s resolution lifting the immunity of MP Gatwich Lam Pout.
2025.9.16 Violent clashes over cattle kill four in Cueibet
At least four people were killed and three others wounded in two days of intercommunal fighting between the Ruotruot and Panyar sections in Cueibet County, Lakes State, local officials said Tuesday.
The clashes erupted Monday in Citcok and continued into Tuesday, according to William Koji Kerjok, the acting state minister of information and communication. He said the violence stemmed from a misunderstanding involving armed youth from the Panyar section passing through Tiaptiap Payam with cattle.
“There was fighting that started yesterday and escalated today,” Kerjok told Radio Tamazuj. “The cause was a misunderstanding related to the behavior of some armed youth from the Panyar section. As a result, four people were killed and three others injured.”
Kerjok said the acting county commissioner has intervened to de-escalate the situation and that security forces have been deployed to the area.
Mathew Manyot Magar, a Member of the National Legislative Assembly representing Cueibet County, also confirmed the violence.
“The fighting occurred in Cueibet today between the Citcok and Panyar communities,” he said, calling for urgent attention to the situation.
Daniel Laat Kon, Lakes State coordinator for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), confirmed the fighting and said a number of people were killed in the violence. He noted that clashes resumed Tuesday morning and that casualty figures could rise.
“There is very low government attention to communal clashes, and this raises serious concern,” Kon said. “The government must intervene to prevent further loss of life in Cueibet County and other areas affected by intercommunal violence, such as Rumbek North.”
He called on authorities to disarm civilians and urged peace partners to organize dialogue initiatives. “If there is no intervention, more lives will be lost, and large-scale intercommunal violence could spread across the state,” he warned.
Intercommunal violence and cattle-related conflicts remain among the major security challenges facing South Sudan, particularly in remote areas.
2025.9.15 Suicide cases on the rise in Yei River County
Health officials in Yei River County say suicide cases are on the rise, with experts linking the increase to family-related disputes, mental health challenges, and economic hardship.
As the county marked World Suicide Prevention Day last Wednesday, medical professionals highlighted a growing concern: men taking their own lives after being publicly shamed in court by their spouses.
“Most people take their lives because of the embarrassment they face in court, where their wives publicly accuse them of underperformance in bed or infertility,” said Malish Joseph, an administrator at Yei Civil Hospital. “They are ridiculed, laughed at, and blamed, making them feel worthless. This stigma can drive some to suicide.”
Simon Musoga, a mental health expert, said the county has recorded 12 suicide deaths and 16 suicide attempts since December 2024.
“People have either hanged themselves or used firearms,” Musoga said. “This day is about creating awareness. Suicide is never the solution.”
Community leaders say suicide is also increasing among the youth, driven by unemployment, drug abuse, and insecurity.
Gaga Frank, youth chairperson for Yei River County, called for lifestyle changes and greater opportunities for young people.
“I appeal to the youth to avoid excessive alcohol and drug use,” Frank said. “There are no jobs, and the situation makes it hard to engage in agriculture or any income-generating activities. But we must be self-reliant.”
Authorities have also warned against cultivating marijuana, linking it to rising suicide and mental health issues in the area.
“I have seen large-scale marijuana farms here,” said Hillary John, executive director of Yei River County. “It’s time to stop. You may think you’re earning money, but you’re destroying lives.”
Ali Abdallah Tif, the county police commissioner, noted that under South Sudan’s penal code, suicide is considered a criminal offense.
“If someone dies by suicide, the case is closed,” Tif said. “But if a person attempts to take their life, we can open a case of attempted suicide and bring it to court.”
Health and police data indicate most of the reported suicides in Yei River County involve young men, often linked to drug use, domestic violence, joblessness, and broader economic struggles across the country.
2025.9.11 FVP Machar suspended from office pending trial
South Sudan’s First Vice President Riek Machar has been suspended and charged with treason, crimes against humanity and murder over his alleged ties to the White Army, an ethnic Nuer militia blamed for a deadly attack in Upper Nile state.
President Salva Kiir issued a decree late Thursday night, read on state broadcaster South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), announcing the suspension of Machar and Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chuol pending trial.
“Pursuant to the provisions of Article 101(D) of the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011 as amended, read together with Section 38 (1) of the Interpretation of Laws and General Provisions Act 2006, I, Salva Kiir, President of the Republic of South Sudan, do hereby suspend two senior government officials from their respective positions pending court trials,” the order stated.
Earlier in the day, Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech charged Machar and seven allies with murder, treason and crimes against humanity in connection with a March attack on a military base in Nassir, Upper Nile state, that left more than 250 soldiers dead.
The government alleges the attack was carried out by the White Army under Machar’s direction. Machar, who also leads the opposition SPLM-IO party, has been under house arrest since March 26 in what many observers see as part of a long-standing power struggle with Kiir.
“These crimes were marked by gross violations of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, including the desecration of corpses, persecution of civilians and attacks on humanitarian workers,” Akech said, according to a readout provided to reporters in Juba.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, legal expert Peter Adau Akol Thon said the charges fall within the court’s jurisdiction.
“An accused is innocent until proven guilty,” Thon said. “In this scenario, it is premature to say whether these sections are correct or not. Upon them being tried in court and if they are acquitted, we shall know whether these charges — treason, overthrowing the government, authoritarianism — are correct or not. But before they have been acquitted, we presume that they stand charged for those crimes.”
He emphasized that it is up to the High Court to determine the validity of the charges.
“They are not yet convicted, and we are not sure whether these charges are correct within the law or not. It is upon the conviction or acquittal by the High Court later on. So, for me, I cannot say the sections are wrong, or not correct, or they are correct — until the trial court decides otherwise,” he added.
Thon also said the prosecution must present substantial evidence to justify proceeding with the case.
Regarding the suspension order, Thon argued it was legally justified, noting that constitutional office holders must have their immunity removed before facing trial.
“Because the law under Article 101 of the Constitution, together with Section 38 of the Interpretation Law, gives the president power to issue that order,” he said. “Any government official who is an executive member, who is indicted by the court, cannot just be taken to court without removing the immunity. They are immune.”
“So, unless the appointing authority — the president — waives the immunity, they cannot stand trial. In that case, the president has a right to suspend them so they can stand trial. Otherwise, without suspending them, they are still immune,” he added.
Although the presidential order cites the president’s constitutional powers, other legal experts and opposition officials have questioned its validity. The 2018 peace agreement — signed by Kiir and Machar to end years of civil conflict — does not grant the president authority to remove or suspend the First Vice President. Instead, it protects the first vice president’s tenure for the duration of the transitional period unless there is a clearly defined vacancy, in which case a structured replacement process must be followed.
2025.9.11 Machar charged with treason and murder
South Sudan’s opposition leader and First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar, has been charged with treason, crimes against humanity, and murder, more than five months after being placed under house arrest in Juba.
The charges relate to Machar’s alleged involvement in attacks by armed Nuer civilians—known as the White Army—on army barracks in Nasir, Upper Nile State.
The announcement comes nearly two weeks after President Sava Kiir appointed Dr. Joseph Geng Akech as justice minister and Sarah Peter Nyot Kok, wife of Vice President Dr. Benjamin Bol Mel, as Counsel General in the Ministry of Justice.
Speaking at a press conference in Juba on Thursday, Justice Minister Geng said Machar and seven others—including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chuol and Deputy Chief of Staff General Gabriel Duop Lam—were linked to the White Army militia attacks in Upper Nile.
He said a government investigation had resulted in the indictment of 21 individuals. Eight suspects, including Machar, have been formally charged, while 13 remain at large. A total of 83 people were interrogated during the probe; 76 were released due to insufficient evidence.
The eight charged individuals are Machar, Puot Kang Chol, Gabriel Duop Lam, Mam Paul Dhuor, Gatwech Lam Puoch, Camilo Gatmai Kel, and Dominic Gatrgot Riek. They face a range of allegations including murder, conspiracy, terrorism, financing terrorism, treason, destruction of public property and military assets, and crimes against humanity.
“The accused have been informed of the charges and their constitutional rights, including the right to a fair trial and legal representation of their choice,” Geng said.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the rule of law, protection of victims and witnesses, and adherence to the Geneva Conventions and other international obligations.
Geng added that the case will proceed to trial soon before a competent court, where the government will present evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
He cautioned the international community against politicizing the case, emphasizing that it should not be subject to diplomatic or policy debate until judicial proceedings are complete.
Edmund Yakani, a prominent civil society activist, welcomed respect for the rule of law and accountability but urged that the trial be conducted through lawful means, not in what he described as a “kangaroo court.”
“My appeal to the country’s leadership is that the court trying the First Vice President and members of his party should be a competent court of law—one that respects all rights and upholds due legal process,” Yakani said.
Yakani, a stakeholder in the 2018 peace agreement, also called for the trial to be transparent and open to the public.
If the trial proceeds, Machar is expected to be dismissed from his position as First Vice President before standing trial.
Machar and Kiir signed a peace agreement in 2018 to end a five-year civil war that claimed an estimated 400,000 lives. However, key provisions—including the unification of armed forces, drafting a permanent constitution, and preparations for national elections—remain unfulfilled.
The peace process has been further complicated by a deepening split within Machar’s SPLM-IO faction following his detention. In April, a Juba-based faction led by Peacebuilding Minister Stephen Par Kuol declared an interim leadership and pledged cooperation with Kiir—a move rejected by Machar loyalists under SPLM-IO deputy chairman Oyet Nathaniel.
2025.9.9 Woman cuts off husband’s genitals after argument in Aweil East
A woman has been arrested after allegedly chopping off her husband’s genitals in Aweil East County of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State last Friday, local officials confirmed.
Paul Kuch, the information director for Aweil East County, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the incident occurred in Peth Lou Boma, Mangok Lou Payam.
“The incident happened on Friday. A woman attempted to cut off her husband’s private parts. Fortunately, the man survived and is currently receiving treatment at Madhol Hospital,” Kuch said. “The woman is in police custody in Peth Lou.”
Kuch identified the suspect as Adhel Garang, 35. The victim, Magar Marengdit, is a certified nurse and serves as the officer-in-charge of the Peth Lou Primary Health Care Unit.
According to Kuch, the incident followed a domestic dispute between the couple over unspecified social matters. Despite the disagreement, the husband chose to sleep in the same house, where the attack reportedly took place.
A local source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the victim was asleep when his wife attacked him with a knife.
“He had an argument with his wife. While he was sleeping, she took a knife and cut his genitals. Although the injuries are severe, his condition is improving,” the source said.
Angelina Agau Thiep, an Aweil-based activist, condemned the attack, calling it a “crime and inhumane act,” and urged families to resolve conflicts peacefully.
“We are not allowed to ruin human dignity, no matter the differences,” Agau said.
She noted that similar incidents had occurred in Aweil West and Aweil North counties in the past, and called for increased awareness and intervention to prevent such violence.
2025.9.5 Woman arrested in Bor on ‘witchcraft’ charges
Authorities in Bor, the capital of Jonglei State, have arrested a 45-year-old woman on suspicion of practicing witchcraft.
The woman, identified only as Jennifer, a Ugandan national, was taken into custody Thursday at her residence in Pariak Boma, Kolnyang Payam, Bor County.
Col. Deng Nhial Yuang, the police chief in Bor, told Radio Tamazuj that security officers recovered several items believed to be linked to witchcraft rituals.
“We recovered seven traditional smoke pipes along with various other materials commonly associated with witchcraft,” Yuang said. “The items have been confiscated, and the suspect is now in custody as investigations continue.”
Jennifer is being held at the Bor Town Police Station and is expected to appear in court on charges related to illegal spiritual practices. A date for the hearing has not been announced.
Bor Mayor Jacob Achiek Machar Ayuen-Mawer visited the suspect in custody and emphasized the local government’s stance on traditional practices.
“We respect people’s right to worship, but witchcraft—especially when it’s deemed harmful to the community—is not tolerated in Bor,” he told Radio Tamazuj.
The mayor urged residents to report suspicious activities and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining public order.
The arrest has sparked debate in Bor and surrounding areas, where tensions sometimes rise between traditional beliefs and the modern legal system.
Witchcraft, or possessing magical powers is not a crime according to formal South Sudanese law, although it is recognized as a menace to communities.
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