A South Sudanese refugee was killed and several others seriously wounded in northern Uganda during clashes with locals, an official said on Friday.

The violence in Adjumani district, near the border with South Sudan, began on Wednesday and was sparked by the death of a local man who was suspected of being killed by a refugee.

“The police and the army have deployed in the refugee camp and the surrounding areas to stop the violent clashes and calm has been restored,” Adjumani district commissioner Peter Dana told AFP.

There are more than 200 000 South Sudanese refugees living in the district. Uganda is host to about one million South Sudanese refugees, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR.

“The cause of the clashes was as a result of one person from the refugee-hosting community who was found dead on Wednesday and the residents suspected members of the refugee community from South Sudan killed him,” Dana said.

“Armed with arrows and machetes, the host community attacked the refugee settlement villages, leading to one death and injuries.”

UNHCR said several refugees and locals had “sustained serious injuries” during the clashes.