Five soldiers killed in failed Nasir escape attempt, survivor tells court

JUBA – A prosecution witness and survivor of the March 2025 attack on the Nasir military garrison in Upper Nile State has told a special court how five of his colleagues were killed during a failed escape attempt after the base was overrun by White Army fighters and SPLA-IO forces.

Testifying on Friday during the court’s 33rd session, Regimental Sergeant Major (R/SM) Ater Bol Piol, the fifth prosecution witness, recounted the chaotic events that unfolded on the night of March 6, 2025, as soldiers attempted to flee intense fighting around the garrison.

Bol told the court that at around 9pm, he and a group of about 30 soldiers emerged from a military tank after growing hungry and disoriented amid the attack. As they moved away from the garrison, they came under heavy fire from SPLA-IO and White Army fighters.

The group, he said, reached an area known as Wicyuel, where they encountered a large river. Fearing that some among them could not swim, they decided to turn back and rest near the Nasir garrison.

According to Bol, the following morning, they attempted to move again, but walked into an ambush. Five soldiers were killed on the spot, leaving him the only survivor of the group.

“At 9pm, I came out of a military tank because we were many and hungry. The SPLA-IO and White Army shot at us, killing five soldiers on the spot,” Bol testified. “I hid under a tree and fought for three days. On the fourth day, I was captured by SPLA-IO forces.”

He told the court that an SPLA-IO officer later intervened to protect him after recognizing him as a medical worker who had previously treated the officer’s sick son at a clinic in Nasir before the attack.

Bol added that six soldiers, including himself, initially managed to escape to the Kuany-Lual-Thon area. From there, they attempted to walk north toward Malakal, navigating by the direction of the moon.

He said his eventual capture occurred after his brother called him by phone. During the call, an SPLA-IO soldier recognized his voice, prompting an officer to order his troops to withdraw. The officer reportedly laid down his weapon and personally assured Bol of his safety.

Dr. Riek Machar, 72, and several of his allies are facing charges of murder, treason, and crimes against humanity before a special court presided over by a panel of three judges.

Prosecutors allege the charges stem from the March 2025 Nasir attack by a militia linked to Machar, which resulted in the deaths of Major General David Majur Dak, about 250 soldiers, and a member of a UNMISS helicopter crew.

The court adjourned proceedings to Monday, December 22, 2025, when defense lawyers are expected to cross-examine the fifth prosecution witness.