The US military reported that it killed three individuals in a strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean on Sunday, raising the controversial campaign’s death toll to at least 180.
The administration of President Donald Trump maintains that it is effectively at war with what it refers to as narco-terrorists in Latin America, and began targeting alleged drug-smuggling vessels last September.
US Southern Command, which oversees American military operations in the region, stated that it carried out a lethal strike against a vessel operated by groups designated as terrorist organizations.
According to military intelligence, the vessel was traveling along established drug-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was involved in narco-trafficking activities. Three male individuals described as narco-terrorists were killed in the operation, the Command reported in a post on X.
US officials say there have been at least six such strikes in April, bringing the total number of people killed in these operations to at least 180, according to an AFP tally.
However, the Trump administration has not provided definitive evidence that the targeted vessels are engaged in drug trafficking, fueling ongoing debate about the legality of these actions.
International legal experts and human rights organizations argue that the strikes likely constitute extrajudicial killings, as they apparently target civilians who do not present an immediate threat to the United States.
Source: AFP
