What Led to the US Strike on a Drug Boat in the Caribbean?

WASHINGTON — The US military carried out another strike on an alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean on Sunday, killing three people, according to US Southern Command.

The operation targeted a boat operated by what the Pentagon calls “Designated Terrorist Organizations.” Intelligence indicated the vessel was moving along known smuggling routes, the command said in a statement.

The strike adds to a campaign launched last September under President Donald Trump, who has described the effort as a war on “narco-terrorists” in Latin America. At least 180 people have now been killed in such operations, according to an AFP tally.

But the strikes have drawn sharp criticism. The Trump administration has not released definitive evidence proving the targeted vessels were actively involved in drug trafficking. International legal experts and human rights groups argue the actions may amount to extrajudicial killings, as those hit have apparently been civilians not posing an immediate threat to the United States.

The military has claimed at least six strikes in April alone. No further details about Sunday’s incident were immediately released.

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