US Military Conducts Third Strike on Alleged Drug Smugglers, Death Toll Surpasses 200
The US military has reported another airstrike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, resulting in three additional deaths, bringing the total death toll to over 200 during its ongoing anti-drug campaign.
The US military confirmed a recent airstrike on a boat suspected of drug smuggling in the eastern Pacific, attributing the action to its ongoing campaign against narco-traffickers. This latest strike, which occurred on Friday, resulted in the deaths of three men, bringing the total fatalities from a series of strikes since September to 202.
US Southern Command indicated that the operation was conducted under the direction of General Francis L. Donovan, who also met with Cuban military officials at Guantánamo Bay. The command did not provide specific evidence to substantiate the claims that the targeted vessel was engaging in drug trafficking on behalf of a terrorist organization.
This airstrike marks the third incident in a week as part of the Trump administration's stated conflict with Latin American drug cartels, who are claimed to be responsible for narcotics flowing into the United States. However, the lack of concrete evidence has raised legal and ethical concerns, prompting criticism from human rights organizations. Experts from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have labeled these actions as potentially unlawful extrajudicial killings.