SOUTHCOM reports latest strike
Four men were killed in a US airstrike in the eastern Pacific, according to the US military’s Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which oversees operations in Latin America.
The command said it targeted a vessel allegedly involved in drug trafficking, describing those killed as “narco-terrorists”, and released declassified footage of the strike via social media platform X.
Part of wider anti-drug campaign
The US Pacific campaign has intensified since September 2025, with operations carried out in the Pacific and the Caribbean as part of what Washington describes as a war against drug cartels.
Authorities say multiple groups have been designated as terrorist organisations in an effort to disrupt drug trafficking routes into the United States.
According to official figures, at least 174 people have been killed in these operations, including 11 in recent days.
Legal and human rights concerns
The latest strike follows a series of similar operations in which additional fatalities were reported earlier in the week.
However, the US administration has not provided evidence that targeted vessels were engaged in illegal activity at the time of the strikes.
The legality of the US Pacific campaign has been questioned, particularly regarding operations in international waters.
Human rights experts and United Nations officials have raised concerns, with some describing the killings as extrajudicial.
Ongoing controversy
The campaign continues to draw international scrutiny as Washington maintains that the strikes are necessary to combat organised drug trafficking networks.
Critics argue that the lack of transparent evidence and the scale of fatalities raise serious legal and ethical questions.
Source: CNA
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