In brief
In a recent military operation, the US government announced that five individuals were killed when its forces struck two boats alleged to be involved in drug trafficking. This follows a series of targeted strikes on suspected drug smuggling vessels over the past few months. The legality of such operations, particularly regarding civilian casualties, has raised concerns among lawmakers and legal experts.
The US military says it struck two boats it alleges were carrying drugs on Wednesday, killing five people on board.
US Southern Command did not specify the location of the attack, but US forces have been targeting vessels suspected of transporting narcotics through the Caribbean and eastern Pacific for the last three months.
The recent strike came just a day after a similar operation resulted in the deaths of three individuals from three alleged narcotics trafficking vessels traveling together.
The Trump administration has characterized these actions as part of a non-international armed conflict against the traffickers; however, legal experts have raised questions regarding their compliance with international conflict laws.
In total, since the beginning of September, the US military has conducted over 30 strikes against vessels involved in drug trafficking, resulting in more than 110 fatalities.
Among these operations, one particularly scrutinized incident involved a double strike against a boat, where survivors were reportedly killed during a second strike while clinging to their vessel.
Lawmakers have expressed concerns that this tactic violates the rules of engagement.
The US Southern Command has indicated that among the latest targets, there were survivors reported from the convoy engagement, prompting the US Coast Guard to initiate searches.
Despite the claims of targeting drug-carrying vessels, the US military has yet to provide evidence supporting these accusations. Southern Command emphasizes that intelligence suggests the vessels were operating along established narco-trafficking routes.
