WASHINGTON: US forces have struck another alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean, upping the death toll in the contentious anti-narcotics campaign to 80, US media reports said Thursday.
Washington began carrying out such strikes -- which experts say amount to extrajudicial killings even if they target known traffickers -- in early September, taking aim at vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
This week's reported strike took the toll to 80 deaths in 20 strikes in international waters.
The timing of the strike was not clear, with broadcaster CBS reporting the boat was destroyed on Monday and the New York Times reporting the strike took place on Wednesday, both citing an unnamed Pentagon official.
The Pentagon did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk, this month urged Washington to investigate the strikes' legality, saying there was "strong evidence" they constitute "extrajudicial" killings.
The US Justice Department said the strikes are consistent with the law of armed conflict and the government has signaled it will continue operations.
A US aircraft carrier arrived off the coast of Latin America on Tuesday, marking a significant increase in Washington's military presence in the region and escalating tensions with Venezuela, which announced a "massive" retaliatory deployment.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday a new phase of the mission to "remove narco-terrorists", which he called "Operation Southern Spear."
The post gave no details of what the operation would entail or how it might differ from military actions already being undertaken.
New US strike on alleged drug boat kills four in Caribbean: media
https://arab.news/z8jcb
New US strike on alleged drug boat kills four in Caribbean: media
- This week's reported strike took the toll to 80 deaths in 20 strikes in international waters
Amnesty urges Burkina junta not to reinstate death penalty
- Amnesty’s regional director Marceau Sivieude said the military must “immediately halt” its plans “regardless of the nature of the offenses or crimes committed”
ABIDJAN: Amnesty International on Friday urged Burkina Faso’s military junta to scrap its plan to reinstate the death penalty seven years after its abolition.
The junta’s council of ministers adopted a draft law on Thursday aimed at reinstating the punishment for crimes including high treason, terrorism and espionage.
Amnesty’s regional director Marceau Sivieude said the military must “immediately halt” its plans “regardless of the nature of the offenses or crimes committed.”
“Countries that still retain the death penalty are an isolated minority as the world continues to move away from this cruel punishment,” he told AFP in a statement.
He added that the proposal if approved would “set Burkina Faso against the goal of abolition” enshrined in international law.
The last recorded execution was in 1988, according to Amnesty.
The proposed text, which requires the approval of the transitional legislative assembly created by the junta, would also punish “the promotion and practice of homosexuality and related acts.”
