South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring Ethiopia charged in court with murdering 10 Ethiopians with sticks and shovels.

The 23 are alleged to have carried out the killings at a refugee camp in Ethiopia’s western Gambella province in April in retaliation for a car accident in which two refugee children died, it reports.

They have not yet pleaded.

Reuters quotes the charge sheet as saying that the “gruesome” murders were planned in advance and two women were among the dead.

More than 270,000 South Sudanese are taking refuge in Gambella, having fled violence which has hit their home country since it became independent in 2011.

Written by David Kugonza