The South Sudanese refugee settlement El Meiram torched by gunmen (UNHCR / Hamid Jarma)

Nearly fifty South Sudanese refugees were killed in the past three months by gunmen in Sudan’s Western Kordofan State, according to a community leader.

The latest incident occurred over the weekend in which two South Sudanese men and a two-year-old boy were killed on the outskirts of Nohud town, Western Kordufant State.

According to Marco Manyang, an armed group calling itself Hamer Youth Union attacked the camp at Nesor, north of Nohud town on Saturday.

They shot and killed Thiep Garang, Arun Kuat, and toddler Deng Athian.

The armed youth also reportedly made away with sixty livestock belonging to the refugees.

Chief Manyang told Eye Radio that 47 South Sudanese were killed between July and September this year.

“We buried 47 South Sudanese people since July plus the three people of yesterday [Sunday] and there is no official from South Sudan or Sudan to address our issues as the civilians who live in another country,” he said.

Some of the victims were shot upon receiving wages they earned from working on Sudanese farms.

“So, when you go to the farms, you get paid but the owner of the farm will tell his criminals that I have paid South Sudanese, then the criminal will come and attack them, kill them and take their properties.”

Sudan is reportedly hosting 800,000 South Sudanese refugees who are primarily in the Darfur region.