Two United States (US) government officials were accidentally shot and wounded by eSwatini’s defence force during \u200ban anti-smuggling operation last week, the \u200cgovernment of the Southern African monarchy said.
\nActing government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli said in a statement late on Monday \u200bthat the officials were injured on \u200bFriday in the rural village of Maphiveni, \u2060about a two-hour drive from the capital, \u200bMbabane.<\/p>\n
It was not immediately clear what the US \u200bpersonnel were doing in the area, but Mdluli said the army had launched an investigation into the circumstances \u200bsurrounding the incident.
\nShe added that Eswatini was \u200bin communication with the US government as the investigation progressed \u200cand \u2060remained committed to strengthening its
\nlongstanding relationship with Washington.
\nThe US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
Eswatini has maintained \u200bclose ties \u200bwith the \u2060US under President Donald Trump, with the kingdom receiving more than 30 third-country \u200bdeportees.
\nIn total it has agreed to \u200bhost \u2060160 under a $5.1 million agreement that has been challenged by lawyers who say deportees are being \u2060detained \u200bdespite having already served sentences \u200bfor crimes committed in the US.<\/p>\n
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