US military forces conducted a strike on alleged drug traffickers in the Eastern Pacific on Friday, resulting in the deaths of three individuals, as reported by the military.
The US Southern Command announced that the “Joint Task Force Southern Spear” carried out a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel linked to Designated Terrorist Organizations operating along a suspected narco-trafficking route. The strike resulted in the deaths of three male narco-terrorists.
A video accompanying the announcement showed a black and white aerial footage of the targeted boat being bombed and engulfed in flames.
Since early September, the United States has been actively targeting suspected smuggling vessels, resulting in the deaths of approximately 150 individuals and the destruction of numerous boats.
During President Donald Trump’s administration, these strikes have been conducted without presenting conclusive evidence of illicit activities, prompting legal experts to express concerns regarding potential extra-judicial killings.
The Trump administration has defended these actions as necessary measures to counter drug trafficking, deploying naval forces near South America, seizing oil tankers, and executing a high-profile operation that led to the apprehension of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro.
Maduro is currently held in US custody awaiting trial on charges related to drug and weapons offenses, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
