240 dead in U.S. Pacific drug war campaign
The Trump administration’s counter-narcotics strikes have reached a grim milestone as the latest attack kills five aboard a go-fast vessel.
By Alina Campbell ·
The campaign has now claimed at least 240 lives.
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) confirmed on Tuesday that Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific. The operation took place on October 27. SOUTHCOM stated that confirmed intelligence linked the go-fast vessel to active narco-trafficking operations along established routes. The military identified the five people killed in the strike as narco-terrorists. A video released by the command shows the boat in the water before it explodes into a massive fireball. The agency did not provide a specific geographic location for the incident beyond the eastern Pacific region.
This attack marks the latest phase in a monthslong effort by the Trump administration to target suspected cartel vessels. According to The Associated Press, the campaign has resulted in more than 70 strikes. The military has frequently described those aboard targeted boats as narco-terrorists or alleged connections to designated terrorist organizations. In most instances, the department has not publicly identified the individuals killed or presented physical evidence of narcotics on the vessels. Recent footage from SOUTHCOM depicts military personnel intercepting boats, removing crews, and sinking the hulls.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the strategy last month. He stated that the U.S. was increasingly seeking to conduct counter-narcotics operations in cooperation with regional allies and in accordance with their laws. Rubio told reporters that while the U.S. has the capacity to act unilaterally, working with allies is the most effective way to proceed. He added that the military would still blow up ships if need be and that decisions would be made on a strike-by-strike or operation-by-operation basis. The strikes have generated scrutiny from lawmakers, legal experts, and human rights groups who have questioned the legal basis for using lethal military force against suspected traffickers outside a traditional battlefield.
