Two US government personnel were accidentally shot by soldiers in Eswatini during an anti-smuggling operation last week, the African country’s government said.The incident took place late Friday in a rural area in northeastern Eswatini, when the army was carrying out an operation against smugglers, according to a government statement issued on Monday.The two Americans suffered “minor injuries” and an investigation is underway, Eswatini government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli told The Associated Press on Tuesday.The government has not identified the US personnel or explained why they were in the area. The US state department said it was aware of the incident and that the “affected US personnel are safe”. It added that it was working with the Eswatini government as part of the investigation.Eswatini army spokesperson Sandile Gwebu said the matter was now “a diplomatic issue” being handled by the two countries. He did not provide further details.The Eswatini government said the incident was being taken seriously.“the incident is being treated with the seriousness it warrants.”Eswatini is a small landlocked kingdom with a population of about 1.3 million.It shares borders with South Africa and Mozambique and is ruled by King Mswati III, who holds supreme political power and is Africa’s last absolute monarch.
