US military kills five in eastern Pacific strike on suspected drug-trafficking vessel
The US military says it struck a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific on 27 October, killing five people it labelled “narco-terrorists”. The attack adds to the Trump administration’s extended campaign against suspected cartel vessels and has renewed scrutiny of the legal basis for using lethal force against people outside a traditional battlefield.
US Southern Command said intelligence indicated the vessel was actively involved in trafficking and that it was travelling along established routes, but it did not give the precise location or publish evidence that drugs were aboard. The campaign has involved more than 70 strikes and caused at least 240 deaths, according to the Associated Press. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the US prefers to work with regional allies, while retaining the option to act unilaterally.
In short
- US Southern Command says five people were killed in an eastern Pacific strike.
- The location and evidence of drugs aboard were not disclosed.
- The wider campaign has caused at least 240 deaths, according to the AP.
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