Africa-Press – South-Sudan. Eyewitnesses testified about the fierce clashes and evacuation near the Nasir SSPDF barracks, making these accounts the central focus of the 31st session of the Special Court trying suspended FVP Dr Riek Machar and seven co-accused on Monday, December 15.
The session featured the third eyewitness, an SSPDF Captain who recounted being trapped for six days in an armored vehicle while facing attacks attributed to the White Army and SPLA-IO forces.
SSPDF Captain Joseph Malong Akot, the third eyewitness, took the stand and testified about a series of intense attacks on the Nasir garrison.
He stated that on March 3rd, an assault, allegedly led by Kang Makana (deputy of Tor Gile), struck his position, hitting an armored tank with an RPG-7.
Captain Malong testified that soldiers were forced to fight from inside the armored vehicle after it was hit. He detailed that tensions had been mounting since late February, leading to Gen. David Majur instructing forces to be on standby.
The witness described how fighting intensified on March 1st and renewed fiercely on March 3rd, when he recognized the attack being led by Tor Gile, whom he saw wearing an army uniform.
Captain Malong recounted the critical events of March 5th, when he and his troops were pinned down near an evacuation plane and eventually trapped inside an APC for six harrowing days without water or supplies.
After running out of supplies, he raised a white T-shirt as a flag. He later received a call informing him that UN planes would evacuate them. Malong insisted his soldiers board the aircraft before him, stating that a commander must protect his men first. Upon evacuation to Malakal, he testified that he received no further assistance.
During cross-examination by the defence, the Captain clarified that he did not personally witness any fighting on the specific date of February 14th, 2025.
Earlier in the session, the court resumed the cross-examination of the second witness, Santino Akol, an SSPDF Captain who supervised the evacuation process in Nasir.
Akol told the court he was assigned by the Chief of Defence Forces to coordinate with partners, including the ICRC and UNMISS, to evacuate 55 soldiers from the Nasir garrison.
When questioned by Advocate Deng John about written communication, the witness stated that all instructions and coordination with partners were strictly verbal, not written. He confirmed he prepared the official report on the evacuation process presented to the court.
The prosecution’s chief examination of Captain Malong was led by Advocate Butrus Yai from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
The court has adjourned proceedings to December 17th to allow judges to continue the cross-examination of the third witness.
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