US military says it killed four more people in a boat strike in the eastern Pacific
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- The US military conducted a boat strike in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, killing four people, marking the third deadly attack on vessels in the region within four days, according to the US Southern Command.
- The military claims the individuals killed were “narco-terrorists” involved in drug trafficking, but has provided no evidence or specific intelligence to support these allegations.
- Since September, US boat strikes have resulted in at least 174 deaths, prompting condemnation from legal experts and human rights advocates who argue these actions constitute extrajudicial killings violating US and international law.
- Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union and members of Congress, warn that the administration is unlawfully redefining civilians as combatants to justify these lethal strikes without due process.
- A federal lawsuit has been filed on behalf of families of victims, and international bodies like the UN and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights have raised concerns about the legality and transparency of these military operations.
