JUBA, South Sudan — Suspended First Vice President Dr Riek Machar has denied allegations that he commanded armed civilians involved in the deadly violence in Nasir County, telling a special court that the group known as the White Army operates independently.

Speaking during the 124th session of the trial over the Nasir incident, Machar said the White Army had no formal command structure within the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO).

Machar, the fifth accused in the case, also rejected claims that armed youth were found only in areas under SPLA-IO control.

He told the court that the White Army was not a standing army and that its members and clans chose and removed their own leaders. He maintained that the group was not registered in SPLA-IO documents and received no logistical, military or food support from the movement.

Machar also told the court that speeches delivered at the burial of the late Major General David Majur Dak in Juba in March 2025 formed a central part of the evidence presented against him and his co-accused by the complainants, the joint investigation team and the prosecution committee.

The court adjourned proceedings until 28 October 2026, when Machar’s examination is expected to continue.