Gunfire in Ezo County, Western Equatoria state forced dozens into neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
The shooting started at 9 o’clock on Wednesday morning and went on till afternoon, sparking fear among the population.
Ezo County Commissioner Luciano Kumbo-kpite said on Thursday that the shooting started when soldiers responded to reports that a group of people had broken into a food store at a refugee camp.
The Ezo refugee settlement is managed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and accommodates nearly four thousand refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kumbo-kpite said the shooting started when the soldiers were being withdrawn.
“When they were being withdrawn, there were gunshots around from 9am to 2pm. One sergeant was killed, one solder wounded and one Congolese was shot by the soldiers and her husband wounded.”
The commissioner said calm had returned on Thursday, but the town was deserted.
“The town is completely empty as I am talking to you now there is no sign of anybody. Some people crossed the border and we understand people are being registered as maybe IDPs or new refugees in Congo.”