Eswatini Soldiers Shoot 2 US Government Staffers During Anti-Smuggling Operation

• Two US government staffers were wounded by Eswatini soldiers during an anti-smuggling operation in the remote village of Maphiveni
• Eswatini's acting government spokesperson confirmed the Friday shooting in a statement released on Monday, with authorities yet to clarify the circumstances
• Eswatini has launched a formal inquiry into the incident and pledged full cooperation with US authorities as diplomatic ties remain intact

Two United States government staffers sustained injuries after being shot by Eswatini soldiers during an anti-smuggling operation in Maphiveni, a remote village located roughly two hours from the country's capital, Mbabane.

Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli confirmed the incident in a statement released late Monday, noting that the shooting took place on Friday.

Mdluli said Eswatini's armed forces had opened a formal inquiry to establish how the shooting occurred, as reported by Reuters.

Details surrounding the presence of the American officials in the area remain sparse.

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Business Insider reported that authorities have not disclosed what the US staffers were doing in Maphiveni or explained the sequence of events that led to the shooting.

The US State Department had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

Despite the incident, Eswatini's government affirmed its commitment to preserving strong diplomatic relations with Washington, with Mdluli pledging full cooperation with US authorities as investigations proceed.

Eswatini's Ties With the United States Under Scrutiny

The shooting comes at a sensitive moment in the relationship between the two countries.

The southern African kingdom has been cultivating closer ties with the United States under President Donald Trump's administration.

Last year, Eswatini agreed to accept up to 160 deportees from the US as part of an arrangement valued at $5.1 million, with the funds earmarked to strengthen the country's border and migration infrastructure.

The agreement has since encountered legal complications over the status of some detainees.

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The incident in Maphiveni adds a layer of complexity to that relationship, even as Eswatini's government was quick to signal that diplomatic cooperation would continue uninterrupted.

Source: YEN.com.gh