US Strikes Kill 205 People in Eastern Pacific
The US military struck a vessel in the eastern Pacific. Three men were killed.
This was the second strike in two days. A strike on Friday also killed three men.
It was the fourth attack this week. The total death toll from these strikes has reached 205 since last year.
US Southern Command said the vessel was on drug-trafficking routes. They said it was involved in drug-trafficking operations.
Experts and human rights groups have raised legal concerns about the strikes. The strikes are part of an operation called Operation Southern Spear.
A Guardian investigation found no evidence of drug trafficking among 13 identified victims. Many of those victims came from poor Latin American and Caribbean families.
Klear Note — Operation Southern Spear targets suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Pacific. Human rights groups question whether all targets are actually involved in drug trafficking.
Key Terms 3
- US Southern Command US military unit responsible for operations in Latin America and the Caribbean
- Operation Southern Spear US military operation targeting drug trafficking vessels in the Pacific
- eastern Pacific Ocean area off the western coast of Central and South America