The U.S. military announced Sunday it conducted a strike against a vessel in the Caribbean, killing two people and leaving six survivors. The U.S. Southern Command said the operation targeted a vessel operated by designated terrorist organizations, at the direction of Gen. Francis L. Donovan of the Marine Corps.
According to the military, intelligence indicated the vessel was traveling along known narco-trafficking routes and was engaged in drug trafficking activities. The strike was part of ongoing efforts to target suspected drug traffickers in the region.
Following the engagement, the U.S. Coast Guard was notified to initiate search and rescue operations for the survivors, the military said. The incident marks the latest in a series of strikes launched since September, with the Pentagon reporting more than 200 deaths in these operations.
The Pentagon has declined to release the identities of those killed or provide evidence of drugs on board. The strikes have drawn criticism from human rights groups and some lawmakers, who question the legality and morality of lethal force without due process.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., criticized colleagues for supporting such operations, saying many of the boats suspected of trafficking are operated by impoverished individuals. He cited Coast Guard statistics suggesting many ships boarded are innocent, and called the strikes “extrajudicial killings”. The Biden administration has faced increased scrutiny over the use of force in anti-narcotics efforts in the region.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
