US confirms 157 killed in maritime strikes experts call extrajudicial'

"Senior defence official Joseph Humire said that 47 narco-trafficking vessels have been struck in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since the campaign began in September, in a written statement to members of the US Congress. Asked by lawmakers on Tuesday whether the quantity of drugs entering the US has gone down, Humire stated that the movement of drug-trafficking vessels had decreased by 20 percent in the Caribbean."

"Experts have expressed scepticism that the strikes are having any significant impact on the drug trade, and legal scholars have said that the campaign is a clear violation of international law and is blurring the distinction between armed conflict and criminal activity. Under international law, military force is permitted for the former, but not the latter."

"The Pentagon has shared videos on social media showing strikes on the vessels, but has provided few details about those killed or evidence of their status as drug vessels. The administration of US President Donald Trump has embraced a militarised approach to combatting drug trafficking that has allowed the US to expand its military footprint across the region."

The United States military has conducted a campaign targeting alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, striking 47 vessels and killing at least 157 people since September. A senior defense official reported a 20 percent decrease in vessel movement in the Caribbean, but acknowledged that actual drug quantities entering the US have not decreased. Legal experts and international scholars have criticized the campaign as violating international law by blurring distinctions between armed conflict and criminal activity. The Pentagon has released limited information about those killed or evidence of their drug-trafficking status. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is investigating the strikes, with advocates seeking legal accountability. The Trump administration has adopted a militarized approach to drug trafficking, expanding military presence across the region through collaboration with allied governments.

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