US Military Confirms Death of Five in Drug Smuggling Boat Attack

Attacks on Suspected Drug Smuggling Boats

The United States Army has confirmed that it conducted an attack on two boats suspected of transporting drugs, resulting in the deaths of five individuals on board. The US Southern Command did not specify the location of the attack, but US forces have targeted vessels suspected of narcotics trafficking to the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific over the past three months.

Wednesday's attack occurred just a day after the US targeted three other suspected trafficking boats, killing at least three individuals. The Trump administration characterized these operations as a non-internal armed conflict; however, legal experts suggest they may violate international law. To date, more than 30 attacks on vessels have been executed as part of the "war on drugs," resulting in over 110 fatalities since the first attack on a boat in international waters on September 2.

The initial attack has been controversial, with reports indicating that US forces struck the same boats twice, killing individuals who had survived the first strike. Some lawmakers have expressed concerns that this type of attack could violate engagement rules. Furthermore, US Southern Command announced there were some survivors, although the exact number was not specified, and reported that the Coast Guard was promptly alerted to search for survivors.

So far, there is no concrete evidence that the attacked boats were transporting drugs; however, Southern Command asserted that “intelligence confirms that the vessels were operating on known drug trafficking routes.”