US Southern Command stated that the operation, directed by Gen. Francis L. Donovan, targeted a vessel operated by "Designated Terrorist Organizations." According to the military, the strike occurred on June 21 along known trafficking routes. Officials confirmed that the US Coast Guard was notified to initiate search and rescue protocols for the six survivors.
In section Newsroom
US Military Strike Kills Two in Caribbean Boat Engagement
Two men were killed and six others survived following a US military strike on a vessel in the Caribbean on Sunday. While US Southern Command characterized the boat as a target linked to narco-trafficking, human rights advocates have condemned the operation as a summary execution lacking public evidence.
This incident marks the latest in a series of 66 reported US boat strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific. According to data tracked by The Intercept, these operations have resulted in 215 deaths. Critics, including former Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth, have labeled the campaign a series of state-sanctioned murders. Previous strikes have faced intense scrutiny, with families of victims and local officials in Venezuela and Colombia asserting that many casualties were civilians and fishers unaffiliated with the drug trade. Legal challenges, including a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Massachusetts earlier this year, highlight the growing international outcry against the ongoing maritime bombing campaign.
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