U.S. Military Accused of Targeting Survivors in Caribbean Drug Interdiction Operation
Washington D.C. – The U.S. Army is facing scrutiny following reports of a second attack on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean,allegedly ordered too eliminate survivors of an initial bombing. Multiple U.S. media outlets, including the Washington Post and CNN, reported on the incident Friday, raising serious questions about the legality and ethics of the ongoing military deployment in the region.
According to sources cited by The Washington Post, the second attack occurred on September 2nd, following the first publicly acknowledged strike. A source familiar with the operation claimed troops were given the order, “The order was to kill everyone.” The report details how soldiers observed two individuals clinging to the burning wreckage of the initial attack and proceeded to target them.
The allegations prompted a change in protocols, with U.S. forces now reportedly prioritizing the rescue of survivors following such operations. Though, CNN reports it remains unclear whether Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was aware survivors remained before authorizing the second attack.
The U.S.military has been conducting a heightened presence in Caribbean waters near Venezuela and in the Pacific for several weeks, ostensibly to combat drug trafficking. The Venezuelan government, though, alleges this deployment is a pretext for a plot to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro and seize the nation’s resources.
To date, Washington claims it’s operations have resulted in the deaths of at least 83 individuals suspected of drug trafficking. These actions have drawn sharp criticism from legal experts, who have labeled them potential “extrajudicial executions.”
In a statement posted on social media Friday, Hegseth defended the operations, asserting they are “legal under both U.S. and international law.” The legality of the attacks remains a point of contention, with ongoing debate surrounding the parameters of the U.S. mission and the justification for lethal force.
caldwell, world-today-news.com