South Sudanese civilians who returned from Sudan camp in Renk County, Upper Nile State. | Photo: Courtesy

At least one person has died from machete injuries and 30 others were injured after bloody clashes erupted between groups of returnees in Renk County of Upper Nile State.

Kak Padiet, the commissioner of Renk County said the violence occurred on Monday between the civilians who fled the Sudan conflict into the area.

Commissioner Padiet said the violence started at a water-point between a group of young girls fetching water.

The fighting later escalated to involve the respective communities of the girls.

A young man in his twenties was killed with a machete and 30 others were injured during the communal incident.

“That was a problem in a camp in Upper Nile University in the area, a young girl when to fetch water and they disagreed at the water-point and people fought,” the commissioner narrated.

“The girl when and informed her relative, this lead to communal fighting as a result 30 people got injured among them only one person was hit in the head with machete and he died this morning due to his injures, the rest are having minors injures.”

The injured returnees are receiving treatment for minor injuries.

Padiet told Eye Radio the local authorities managed to contain the situation, and calm has returned to the area.

Renk is currently hosting thousands of Sudanese refugees and returnees fleeing war in Sudan.

The civilians are living in makeshift camps in open spaces, school buildings, and a university college in the border area.