SSPDF accuses Dr. Machar of the Nasir incident, demands accountability
The SSPDF has accused politicians within the country and elements in diaspora for exaggerated that the army was going for disarmament in the Upper Nile State
By Aguok Chok
The Assistant Chief of Defence Forces for Mobilization and Disarmament, Gen. Johnson Olony said the recent violence in Nasir was initiated in Juba.
He said the SPLM/A-IO leader Dr. Riek Machar who doubles as the First Vice President bears the responsibility.
“The problems that happened in Nasir started here in Juba; it is Riek Machar that is fighting, not the White Army. The truth should be said to the people about what happened in Nasir,” Gen Olony asserted.
However, he emphasized his commitment to truthfulness, declaring, “For me, I am not that kind of person who used to fear. I like to tell the truth.”
Gen Olony was enroute to Nasir to replace the military in the area before averting the journey, said the clashes in Nasir involved SPLA-IO forces, not the White Army militias.
“What happened in Nasir is SPLA-IO fighting with SSPDF, not the White Army fighting with SSPDF. It’s SPLA-IO forces. We need to tell the truth in South Sudan,” Gen Olony said.
He accused First Vice President Riek of instigating attacks against President Salva Kiir.
“It is Riek Machar who attacked President Salva Kiir.”
Responding to circulating social media allegations that he had defected, Olony dismissed the allegation.
“I have not much to say, but I want to clarify something circulating in social media that I have gone back to the bush again. These are social media allegations, they are not true.”
General Olony elaborated on their recent mission to Malakal, emphasizing that the purpose was to change SSPDF forces stationed there for an extended period, but not to disarm civilians or engage the SPLA-IO as others claimed.
“When we went to Malakal and called all the forces and told them that we are not coming to disarm the civilians nor fight with SPLA-IO. We were going to change the SSPDF forces that have been there for so long.”
Meanwhile, speaking at the same event at the army headquarters in Bilpham, Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, the army Spokesperson together with Lt. Gen. James Koang Chuol Ranley, the Assistant Chief of Defence Forces for Training and Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony, Assistant Chief of Defence Forces for Mobilization and Disarmament, said they were given an order by the military leadership to relieve and replace the forces that had overstayed in Nasir.
Gen. Koang explained that the issue was politicized that they were going to deploy SSPDF forces in Doma, Ulang and Nasir areas up to Jekaw.
They tried to correct the viral social media rumours, but politicians within the country and elements in diaspora exaggerated that the army was going for disarmament in the Upper Nile State.
“In fact, we started going on 15 February 2025. Our leadership gave us an order to relieve and replace our forces in Nasir because some of them overstayed for long. Some spent eight and others took up to ten years. So, it is their right to be replaced,” said Lt. Gen. James Koang Chuol, the Assistant Chief of Defence Forces for Training.
“My colleague and I went to see the forces going to replace Nasir forces. Before they started going, the matter was politicized that we are going to deploy the forces in the area od Doma and Ulang and then Nasir and up to Jekaw. We tried our level best to correct it in social media and security forces and also in other media agencies. But we did not manage it. We are not politicians, but the aim which was the primary objective of our going was to relieve the Nasir forces. This was what was given to us by our Chief of Defence Forces and it was what was planned by the command and control in the General Headquarters,” he explained, adding:
“By that time there were extremely too much inflammation and politicization. The situation was exaggerated from here and the diaspora. These are the very people who said that when boats carrying did not enter and soldiers got stuck, they started attacks in Nasir on March 3, 2025. This was the White Army and SPLA-IO altogether.”
However, the office of the First Vice President, Dr. Riek Machar released a statement, refuting the claims, terming them as ‘baseless accusations, which are a complete misrepresentation of the facts.’
