Some of the South Sudanese children who were reportedly tortured following clashes between locals and refugees in Khartoum at the weekend | Credit | Courtesy

Some South Sudanese refugees in Sudan say they feel neglected and unprotected following minor clashes with the host community around Khartoum.

They appealed to the UNHCR and the government of South Sudan to advocate for their safety.

Last weekend, five South Sudanese refugees were reportedly killed in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

According to a human rights activist, several young people were also injured allegedly by the locals.

The incident took place in the areas of Bori and Haj Yousif following a quarrel between the refugees and the host community.

The disagreement between the local and refugees was reportedly over the right to lay bricks near the Nile river in Al-Jeriff area.

The Khartoum State Police said 44 brick-workers suspected of being involved in the conflict have been arrested.

Similar incidents involving South Sudanese refugees and Sudan nationals have been occurring since 2013.

In May 2020, a South Sudanese refugee was killed and four others critically injured in an attack on Rahed Refugee Camp in Khordofan region.

A community leader, William Matheu said they have been displaced from the Nile riverside.

He blamed the South Sudan Embassy in Khartoum for doing little on their behalf.

“Our Embassy in Sudan is supposed to come and see our condition here so that they can report back what they see and the condition the refugees are in. As I speak to you, no one came to see us from Embassy or even from the government of Sudan,” he said.

Matheu revealed that about 165 people do not feel safe after being displaced.

“The Government of Sudan warned us not to go back to the riverside,” he added.

Latest reports from the UNHCR shows that more than 750,000 South Sudanese have fled to neighboring Sudan.