US Strikes Leave Toll at 126, Fueling Concerns Over War Crimes Allegations and Lack of Evidence.
The US military has confirmed that the death toll from strikes on alleged drug boats has reached 126 people, including those presumed dead after being lost at sea. The figure includes 116 fatalities in at least 36 attacks carried out since early September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. Ten more are believed to have died due to unlocated bodies following a strike.
The Trump administration claims that these strikes are necessary to stem the flow of drugs, but critics argue that the US is waging an "armed conflict" against cartels without concrete evidence. The fentanyl responsible for many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked overland from Mexico, where it's produced using chemicals imported from China and India.
The military has come under intense scrutiny after killing survivors of a boat attack with a follow-up strike. While the administration maintains that this was justified, Democrats and legal experts have labeled it as murder or even a war crime.
The recent strikes are part of a broader buildup of US military might in Latin America, aimed at pressure on Venezuela's President Nicolรกs Maduro, who has been brought to face drug trafficking charges after being raided by American forces. Despite the increased tensions, Congress has failed to rein in Trump's authority to conduct further attacks.
As the toll mounts and concerns grow over war crimes allegations, it remains unclear how effective these strikes are in reducing the flow of illicit substances into the US market.
The US military has confirmed that the death toll from strikes on alleged drug boats has reached 126 people, including those presumed dead after being lost at sea. The figure includes 116 fatalities in at least 36 attacks carried out since early September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. Ten more are believed to have died due to unlocated bodies following a strike.
The Trump administration claims that these strikes are necessary to stem the flow of drugs, but critics argue that the US is waging an "armed conflict" against cartels without concrete evidence. The fentanyl responsible for many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked overland from Mexico, where it's produced using chemicals imported from China and India.
The military has come under intense scrutiny after killing survivors of a boat attack with a follow-up strike. While the administration maintains that this was justified, Democrats and legal experts have labeled it as murder or even a war crime.
The recent strikes are part of a broader buildup of US military might in Latin America, aimed at pressure on Venezuela's President Nicolรกs Maduro, who has been brought to face drug trafficking charges after being raided by American forces. Despite the increased tensions, Congress has failed to rein in Trump's authority to conduct further attacks.
As the toll mounts and concerns grow over war crimes allegations, it remains unclear how effective these strikes are in reducing the flow of illicit substances into the US market.