U.S. Military Kills One in Pacific Vessel Strike; Two Survive

A U.S. military operation in the eastern Pacific left one person dead and two others alive after an attack on a vessel linked to drug trafficking, according to U.S. Southern Command.

U.S. Military Kills One in Pacific Vessel Strike; Two Survive

One person died and two others survived after U.S. forces attacked a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, according to an announcement from U.S. Southern Command (Southcom) posted on the social media platform X.

The military stated that the vessel belonged to groups designated by the United States as terrorist organizations. However, Southcom did not specify which organizations were involved.

"Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was traveling along a known drug trafficking route in the eastern Pacific and was part of operations related to narcotics trafficking," Southcom wrote in its statement.

The deceased individual was described by the command as a "narcoterrorist." The nationality of the person killed was not immediately disclosed.

Following the incident, Southcom notified the U.S. Coast Guard so that search and rescue systems could be activated for the survivors. No American forces were injured during the operation, which was carried out on the orders of Southcom commander General Francis L. Donovan.

The command also shared a video that appeared to show the attack, in which a vessel could be seen exploding on the water.

The Trump administration began targeting alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific in September. Since then, multiple strikes have been carried out in the region. According to Reuters, these attacks have claimed the lives of more than 200 people. The news agency noted that survivors are rare after such operations.

The United States maintains that the strikes are part of efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking in the region. However, the country has not immediately presented definitive evidence that the targeted vessels were involved in narcotics smuggling.

Legal experts and human rights organizations have raised questions about the legality of these attacks.

Source: Politiken

Source: Politiken