
US strikes 3 suspected drug-trafficking boats in Pacific and Caribbean, 11 killed
India Today
The strikes took place Monday in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. US Southern Command said all those killed were suspected traffickers and that no American personnel were injured.
The US military has struck three suspected drug-trafficking vessels in waters off Latin America, killing 11 people, according to US Southern Command, in the latest escalation against maritime narcotics networks launched under the Trump administration.
The strikes took place Monday in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. US Southern Command said all those killed were suspected traffickers and that no American personnel were injured.
"Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations," the command said in a statement posted Tuesday.
Late on Feb. 16, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted three lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known pic.twitter.com/mib9XtptSB
"Eleven male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions, 4 on the first vessel in the Eastern Pacific, 4 on the second vessel in the Eastern Pacific, and 3 on the third vessel in the Caribbean. No US military forces were harmed," it added.
The operation is part of a series of US maritime strikes launched since last year against boats suspected of links to cartels and trafficking groups. The Defence Department says more than 40 such strikes have killed over 130 people.

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