The US military has carried out its fourth deadly strike on vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean in the past four days, killing four individuals. The attack was announced by US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in a social media post that included a video showing a boat being hit by a missile and exploding. SOUTHCOM claimed the victims were “narco-terrorists” but provided no evidence to support the assertion.
Why It Matters
This latest attack adds to the growing death toll of at least 175 individuals killed since September in US strikes targeting Latin American cartels transporting drugs to the US. International legal experts and rights groups have criticized the campaign as “extrajudicial killings” in international waters, with concerns raised over civilian fishing boats being targeted. The effectiveness of the operation has also been questioned, as the fentanyl contributing to fatal overdoses in the US is primarily trafficked over land from Mexico.
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