US military kills four in latest strike on alleged drug-trafficking boat in eastern Pacific

The US military conducted a strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, killing four people.

This marks the fourth deadly attack on vessels in the region within a week.

US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which oversees military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, confirmed the strike and posted aerial footage showing a vessel exploding after being hit by a projectile.

The military stated the targeted vessel was transiting along known narcotics trafficking routes.

The four fatalities bring the total death toll from this campaign to at least 174 since September.

Previous strikes in the past week killed two people on Monday and five people on Saturday, with one survivor from the Saturday attacks.

The US Coast Guard has since suspended the search for that survivor.

The campaign targets what the US administration describes as "narco-terrorists" operating in Latin America.

The strikes have been justified by the US government as part of an armed conflict against drug trafficking organizations.

However, the operations have drawn criticism from legal experts and human rights advocates who argue that the strikes constitute extrajudicial killings.

They contend that the US military has not provided sufficient evidence to support claims that those killed were engaged in narcotics trafficking or posed an imminent threat.

United Nations officials have also stated that international humanitarian law does not permit the US to kill individuals accused solely of drug trafficking.

#USSouthernCommand #drugtrafficking #easternPacific #militarystrike #narcoterrorism