Five South Sudanese refugees are amongst the seven civilians who have been killed in a renewed violence involving different communities living in Kakuma refugee camp in northwest Kenya, an official says.
The clashes which began last week between South Sudanese communities in the camp have now spread to include refugees from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to camp authorities.
“It all started when there were reports that a 10 year old girl had been assaulted,” UNHCR Kenya wrote it on its Facebook page.
“The situation changed on 30 October, at about 1130 hours, when we received information that some youth had attacked other communities after a moto cycle taxi commonly known as Boda Boda, hit a child.”
So far, seven people have been killed in the camp, amongst them five South Sudanese and two Burundians.
Thousands of refugees had fled the Kakuma refugee camp following violent clashes, which have sparked tension among the refugees.
According to the UNHCR, Kakuma refugee camp currently provides shelter to more than 174, 000 refugees mainly from South Sudan.
Kenyan government and the refugee agency have set up a refugee reception centre along the Kenya-South Sudan border to register those who are fleeing the on-going fighting between the government and SPLM-SPLA in Opposition.