The United States military has carried out three strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, killing at least 11 people. US Southern Command said two of the strikes occurred in the Eastern Pacific and one in the Caribbean late on Monday, as part of Operation Southern Spear targeting regional drug cartels.
According to the military, four people died on each of the two Pacific vessels, and three on the Caribbean vessel. The Trump administration has conducted similar operations since September, with at least 145 reported deaths, though estimates vary and the identities of those killed have not been formally released. Families in Colombia and Trinidad and Tobago have claimed some victims, describing them as fishermen or temporary workers.
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Legal experts and the United Nations have criticised the campaign as extrajudicial killings, saying the strikes violate international law. Despite the criticism, the Trump administration maintains it is in a state of armed conflict with drug-trafficking groups and has pledged to continue targeting suspected drug operations at sea and on land.
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