MANZINI, Eswatini: Soldiers in the African nation of Eswatini accidentally shot two US government personnel last week, the country’s government said.

The US personnel were shot during an anti-smuggling operation by the Eswatini army in a rural region in the northeast of the country late Friday, Eswatini’s government said in a statement late Monday.

The Americans sustained “minor injuries” and there was an investigation underway, Eswatini government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The Eswatini government didn’t immediately identify the US personnel or say why they were present. The US State Department said that it was aware of the shootings and the “affected US personnel are safe,” but also didn’t immediately identify who they were. It said it was working with the Eswatini government on an investigation.

Eswatini army spokesperson Sandile Gwebu told the AP that it was now “a diplomatic issue” handled by both countries and didn’t give further details.

The Eswatini government said in its statement that “the incident is being treated with the seriousness it warrants.”

Eswatini is a small kingdom of around 1.3 million people on the border between South Africa and Mozambique. It is ruled by King Mswati III, who holds supreme political power and is Africa’s last absolute monarch.