Chinese National Killed in South Sudan

By Deng Machol

Juba - At least two people, including a Chinese national have reportedly been shot dead in South Sudan. 

The victims are part of the team deployed by Shangdong Hi-Speed Company to help in the construction of the Juba-Rumbek highway.

According to multy eyewitnesses, the Chinese national was driving a truck loaded with road construction aggregate when an assailant shot at them at Jebel Lady in Juba County.

The driver was being accompanied by a soldier from the Tiger Division.

The Shino-Truck was reportedly sprayed with at least six bullets, killing both the unnamed driver and the soldier.

The almost 400-kilometre road is undergoing major reconstruction by the Shandong Hi-Speed Group Company at a cost of some $700 million dollars

According to eyewitnesses, they heard six gunshots, but there was no exchange of fire. 

They added when the company security from the company went to the scene, they found that they were all dead.

The pair were "attacked, shot and died instantly. The reason behind the killing is yet to be known as the attackers have not been arrested.

Meanwhile, the Central Equatoria State’s police confirmed the incident, citing that the killers are still at large.   

In the recent months, South Sudan has witnessed several attacking on the civilians, humanitarian workers and commercial vehicles along the major highways across the country such as Juba - Nimule and Juba - Yei roads.

Insecurity in the East Africa's youngest country persists even after the signing of a 2018 peace deal to end a brutal five-year civil war that has left some 400,000 dead and uprooted four million people from their homes.

The murders come a week after South Sudan security officers arrested 12 suspects accused of carrying out a spate of abductions, kidnappings for ransom, torture and killings of civilians -- mainly businessmen or women -- along major roads in the country.