President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the U.S. military carried out its third fatal strike this month on a vessel he declared was involved in drug smuggling. In a social media post, the President stated that the strike resulted in three fatalities and targeted a boat he described as “affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organisation conducting narcotrafficking in the USSOUTHCOM area of responsibility.” Trump asserted that intelligence confirmed the vessel was “trafficking illicit narcotics and was transiting along a known narcotrafficking passage en route to poison Americans,” but did not provide specific details about the vessel’s exact location.
This operation follows two similar actions in recent weeks, including one on Monday where the U.S. military reportedly took down another boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, also killing three people. These military operations have drawn considerable scrutiny, with several senators, human rights groups, and lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties questioning the legality of using military force in such actions, according to reports. Critics argue that these strikes may overstep executive authority by employing the military for law enforcement purposes.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the clarity of how the military verified the vessels’ cargo and the alleged affiliations of passengers. Furthermore, accusations have been made that the U.S. is using drug trafficking as a pretext for military intimidation and potential regime change. (With inputs from AP)
Source: indianexpress.com