Military officials announced Friday that American forces targeted a suspected drug smuggling vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in two deaths and leaving one person alive.
According to U.S. Southern Command, two men lost their lives during the operation while a third individual survived the attack. Officials have requested Coast Guard assistance for search and rescue efforts following the incident.
This latest action represents a continuation of recent military operations targeting suspected narcotics trafficking vessels throughout the Eastern Pacific region. American forces have conducted similar attacks against multiple boats believed to be involved in drug smuggling activities over the past several weeks.
Since September, military strikes against such vessels operating in both Caribbean and Pacific waters have resulted in more than 190 deaths, according to official reports.
The aggressive tactics have drawn sharp criticism from international human rights organizations. Both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have condemned these military actions, characterizing the strikes as “unlawful extrajudicial killings.”
