South Sudan’s First Vice President Riek Machar has been charged with murder, treason, and crimes against humanity over alleged attacks by an ethnic militia on federal forces in March, the justice minister announced Thursday.
President Salva Kiir immediately suspended Machar from his post following the announcement, according to a decree broadcast on state radio. The move deepens the divide between South Sudan’s two main political factions, which fought a civil war from 2013 to 2018 that claimed an estimated 400,000 lives.
Justice Minister Joseph Geng said Machar allegedly commanded or influenced the White Army militia during the attacks in Nasir. He added that Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol was charged alongside Machar. Machar has been under house arrest since March.
International partners have repeatedly called for his release, warning that prolonged detention could reignite civil conflict.
The indictment names 20 other individuals, 13 of whom remain at large. Machar and Kiir had previously served in a unity government as part of the peace deal that ended the civil war, but sporadic violence and political tension have persisted.
Edmund Yakani, head of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, urged that the trial be fair, saying he hoped for “a competent court of law, not a kangaroo court of law.”
Russia has violated an energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelen...
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world. ...
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi ...
The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
Yemen's Houthis renewed warning to airlines, airport workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports, saying the warning should be taken seriously and that the kingdom “bore responsibility for failed interceptions”, a day after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 12 people.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow also halts strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
Russia has violated an energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday, urging Washington to step in to ensure that Moscow abided by the terms of the putative agreement.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine is ready to respect the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, but only if Russia does the same, saying Moscow has already violated the agreement.
China has announced sanctions against Belize’s foreign minister and Paraguay’s communications minister over their countries’ diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The move comes as Beijing continues to pressure the few remaining nations that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment