A Chinese national and his South Sudanese colleague were killed while working on Wednesday morning in the Jebel Ladu area along the Juba–Terekeka road. 

The two are employees of the Shandong Hi-Speed Group Company, a Chinese road construction company. 

Sources say the Chinese national and his colleague were operating a truck for the company before they were attacked and shot dead by unknown gunmen.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, Central Equatoria State acting Police Commissioner Monydhang Deng said, "They have been killed at Jebel Ladu this morning. It happened at 10: am this morning and was done by unknown gunmen. So, no one knows those who killed those people. There is one foreigner from China and one South Sudanese."

Deng said investigations have been launched and, "the government is planning to do patrols on the highways pending investigations to establish who killed the two people.” 

Shandong Hi-Speed Group Company is reconstructing the almost 400-kilometer road at a cost of about $700 million.

Insecurity along major highways in the country has been on the rise. Last week, a national security service officer working as part of the security escorts for Anissa Road Construction Company that is constructing Juba-Torit-and Juba Nadapal road was killed 14 kilometers from Nesitu junction.