22/04/2025
Dr. Riek Machar, the White Army, and Atrocities Committed in South Sudan.
Dr. Riek Machar, a prominent South Sudanese politician and rebel leader, played a central role in the civil conflict that erupted in South Sudan in December 2013. His alliance with the White Army, a Nuer youth militia, has drawn international scrutiny due to the serious human rights violations committed during the conflict. This case study explores the nature of this alliance, the atrocities committed, and the broader implications for political accountability in ethnically charged civil wars.
Background on Dr. Riek Machar and the White Army
Machar, a member of the Nuer ethnic group and former Vice President of South Sudan, became the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) after being dismissed from his position and reappointed as vice president according to 2018 agreeement by President Salva Kiir, a Dinka. The dismissal ignited ethnic tensions, leading to widespread violence. The White Army, composed primarily of Nuer youth, historically emerged as looters and a self-defense force but aligned itself with Machar’s rebellion in 2013 (Small Arms Survey, 2013).
Atrocities Committed by the White Army and SPLM-IO Forces
During the civil war, both government and opposition forces committed grave violations of international law. However, the White Army, aligned with Machar’s SPLM-IO, was implicated in some of the most brutal incidents. In the town of Bor, Bentiu, and Malakal, civilians—particularly from the Dinka ethnic group & Shilluk kingdom—were targeted in ethnically motivated massacres (United Nations Mission in South Sudan [UNMISS], 2014). In Bentiu alone, over 400 civilians were reportedly killed in April 2014 (Human Rights Watch, 2014). March 4,2025 , machar and his allied white army terrorist organization ordered the attack on military base Nasir and killed 500 soldiers in cool blood rebel against peace agreement signed in 2018 in Khartoum due slow implementation of peace agreement.
These forces were also accused of widespread sexual violence, including r**e as a weapon of war, and the recruitment of child soldiers, in direct violation of international humanitarian norms (Amnesty International, 2016). While the White Army operated with a degree of autonomy, their coordination with Machar’s forces implies at least indirect responsibility.
Machar’s Responsibility and Denials
Machar has frequently denied direct control over the White Army, describing them as an unstructured militia beyond his formal chain of command. Nevertheless, international observers argue that Machar bears command responsibility, particularly given the strategic benefit he derived from their actions and his failure to prevent or punish violations (International Crisis Group, 2015). The principle of command responsibility under international law holds leaders accountable for crimes committed by subordinates when they knew or should have known and failed to act.
In the end
The alliance between Dr. Riek Machar and the White Army illustrates the dangerous fusion of ethnic militancy and political ambition. While Machar has sought to distance himself from the crimes committed, his leadership role in the SPLM-IO and the strategic use of the White Army point to a significant degree of culpability. Accountability for such crimes remains essential to building lasting peace in South Sudan.
