Eswatini repatriates two US deportees

Two migrants deported from the United States to Eswatini have returned to their home countries, the southern African kingdom said Tuesday.

The men, from Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, were among 30 deportees accepted by Eswatini since July last year under a $5-million agreement with Washington.

Acting government spokeswoman Thabile Mdluli said the Mauritanian national, who arrived in July, requested voluntary repatriation to reunite with his family and left Eswatini on Saturday. She said the DRC national, who arrived in March, returned home on Sunday.

The government said several other deportees had also requested voluntary repatriation to reunite with their families and that it was working with relevant authorities to facilitate the requests.

Eswatini is one of several African countries that have agreed to accept migrants deported under US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. It confirmed last year that it had received about $5.1 million from the United States to accept 160 deportees, with the funds intended to strengthen border and migration management.

Two other men deported to Eswatini, a Jamaican and a Cambodian, were previously repatriated. Several others are in a high-security prison, where they are being held without charge.

Eswatini says the deportees are in the country temporarily and are expected to be returned to their countries of origin.