Key facts
- Two U.S. government officials were accidentally shot and wounded by Eswatini's defense force.
- The incident occurred last week in the rural village of Maphiveni.
- Eswatini is communicating with the U.S. government regarding the incident.
Two U.S. government officials were accidentally shot and wounded by Eswatini's defense force during an anti-smuggling operation last week, the Southern African monarchy's government said. The incident occurred in the rural village of Maphiveni, and Eswatini is in communication with the U.S. government as an investigation proceeds.
The incident raises questions about the safety of U.S. personnel operating abroad and the nature of security cooperation between the U.S. and Eswatini, potentially impacting diplomatic relations and ongoing agreements.
Two U.S. government officials were accidentally shot and wounded by Eswatini's defense force during an anti-smuggling operation last week, the government of the Southern African monarchy said. Acting government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli stated late on Monday that the officials were injured on Friday in the rural village of Maphiveni. The circumstances of the U.S. personnel's presence in the area were not immediately clear, but Mdluli indicated that the army had launched an investigation. Eswatini is in communication with the U.S. government as the investigation progresses and affirmed its commitment to strengthening its relationship with Washington. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Eswatini has maintained close ties with the U.S., including agreeing to host 160 third-country deportees under a $5.1 million agreement, a deal that has faced legal challenges from lawyers arguing that deportees are being detained despite having served sentences for crimes committed in the U.S.