No US Embassy Personnel Injured In Firing On Diplomatic Vehicle In Eswatini - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2021) US Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter said on Friday no personnel was injured in Eswatini in an incident with soldiers firing on a US diplomatic vehicle amid the ongoing protests.

On Thursday, the US Embassy in Eswatini said shots were fired at a diplomatic vehicle on July 1. The embassy said the US Ambassador was not in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, refuting earlier reports suggesting the opposite.

"We're certainly aware of the incident that shots were fired on the [US] Embassy's vehicle on July 1, 2021, in Eswatini. However, no embassy personnel was injured at the event," Porter said in a press briefing.

She said the US Embassy in Eswatini was working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Eswatini to address the incident.

"The safety and security of US citizens, and, of course, our employees is our highest priority," Porter added.

Eswatini, up until 2018 known as Swaziland, has recently been rocked by deadly protests against the absolute monarchy's rule over the country. The pro-democracy protests have reportedly been met with violence by the security forces.

Reports by opposition political movements have suggested that between 40 and 69 people died during the protests since late June. The government, in turn, said it was investigating the number of deaths and condemned what it called misinformation on the issue.