US military kills five people in latest strikes on boats off Latin America
The US military says it has killed five people in two strikes on boats in waters off Latin America over the last two days, bringing the death toll from the bombing campaign to at least 190.
US Southern Command said the US military on Tuesday "conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations," in the Eastern Pacific.
In a statement on X, SOUTHCOM said that "the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes... and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations."
"Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action," it added.
This latest strike follows a similar, but separate attack on Monday in the Caribbean.
SOUTHCOM said US forces killed two people in that strike.
President Donald Trump's administration insists it is effectively at war with what it calls "narco-terrorists" operating in Latin America.
But it has provided no definitive evidence that the vessels it targets are involved in drug trafficking, prompting heated debate about the legality of the operations.
International legal experts and rights groups say the strikes likely amount to extrajudicial killings as they have apparently targeted civilians who do not pose an immediate threat to the US.
Everyday fishermen who survived the US strikes have described horrific experiences of torture and abuse by American forces.
Cover photo: US SOUTHERN COMMAND / AFP