"Riek Machar faces charges of alleged involvement in attacks against federal forces. Riek Machar, South Sudan's first vice president, has been charged with murder, treason and crimes against humanity. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in attacks by a militia against federal forces in March, the justice minister announced on Thursday. South Sudan's government claims the White Army, a loose band of armed youths, attacked a military base in Nasir, northeastern South Sudan, and killed more than 250 soldiers on Machar's orders."
"These crimes were marked by gross violations of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, including the desecration of corpses, persecution of civilians and attacks on humanitarian workers, Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech said, according to AFP. Machar and President Salva Kiir have long been rivals. Civil war broke out in oil-producing South Sudan in 2013 less than two years after the country gained independence from Sudan following decades of war after Kiir sacked Machar as vice president, accusing him of plotting a coup."
Riek Machar, South Sudan's first vice president, has been charged with murder, treason and crimes against humanity for alleged involvement in March attacks against federal forces. The government alleges the White Army attacked a military base in Nasir and killed more than 250 soldiers on Machar's orders. Seven others, including the former petroleum minister, were charged after investigations into a suspected rebellion plot. Justice Minister Joseph Geng Akech said the crimes included gross violations of the Geneva Conventions and humanitarian law, citing desecration of corpses, persecution of civilians and attacks on humanitarian workers. Machar and President Salva Kiir have long rivalries dating to the 2013 civil war following Machar's sacking as vice president.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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