Machar Denies Forming White Army, Cites Lack of Military Command Structure

By Awan Achiek

Former First Vice President Riek Machar has denied allegations linking him to the formation of the White Army, telling the court that the group is not a standing military force and lacks the command structure necessary for him to exercise authority over it.

During his defense testimony on Monday, Machar, the fifth accused, disputed claims connecting him to the White Army, asserting that it is not a standing military force and lacks the organizational structures required for him to command it.

In the 124th session of the trial, Machar refuted allegations linking him to the origins of the White Army and its alleged connection to the 1991 split within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A).

“The White Army is not a standing army, and I cannot command it because it does not have the structures necessary for me to exercise command over it,” Machar stated.

Machar noted that responsibility for the group’s formation had been attributed to him by Hon. Kuol Manyang, who linked its origins to the Nasir Declaration of August 28, 1991.

He acknowledged that during the 1991 SPLM/A split, a Nuer spiritual leader, Wur Nyang Gatkech from Fangak, mobilized a group known as Nyaburjuk.

According to Machar, this group participated in fighting against the Sudanese Army, including an attack on Malakal, which he described as part of the struggle for liberation.

He added that many of those involved in the fighting at the time are now elderly, with some in their seventies.

“Yes, it is true that during the 1991 split within the SPLM/A, a Nuer spiritual leader called Wur Nyang Gatkech, who hailed from Fangak, came with a group of Nyaburjuk,” he said.

“We fought the Sudanese Army, which was a small army, and they joined the attack on Malakal. For them, it was a war of liberation.”

Machar also challenged the suggestion that armed civilian groups were exclusive to Nuer communities, citing other groups that existed in areas controlled by the SPLM/A during the conflict.

He referred to the Red Belt in Bor, which he associated with the hometown of Kuol Manyang Juk, and the Arrow Boys in Western Equatoria as examples of armed groups in other parts of the country.

“The charge that I lead armed civilians is false. The allegation that armed civilians exist only in Nuer areas is also false,” he asserted.

According to Machar, the group is known by different names depending on the geographical area, including Jai’nbor (commonly translated by others as the White Army), Gojam, Nyaborjiok, and Bunam.

He argued that the group should not be classified as a militia because, in his view, its organizational structures do not meet that definition.

Instead, he described its members as traditional African village warriors whose access to modern small arms has increased over time.

Machar further denied that the White Army was sponsored by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO).

He compared it to groups he identified as Dut Ku Beny, Mathiang Anyor, and Tit Bay, which he alleged were militias sponsored by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).

He also drew comparisons between the White Army and traditional youth groups among other South Sudanese communities, including the Gelweng or Titweng among the Dinka, the Monyomoji among the Otuho and Lokoya, and age-set groups among the Murle.

The court adjourned the session to Wednesday, October 28, 2026, for Machar to continue his defense statement.