In brief
In a strong condemnation, UN human rights chief Volker Türk has called for an immediate halt to US military strikes targeting alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. The attacks have reportedly claimed over 60 lives since September, prompting calls for investigations and a shift to law enforcement methods. While US officials justify the strikes in the name of national security, concerns about their legality and effectiveness continue to grow.
The UN's human rights chief has condemned US military strikes on vessels allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean and Pacific, saying the lethal attacks violate international law and amount to extrajudicial killing.
Volker Türk said on Friday that more than 60 people have reportedly been killed in US strikes since early September.
Calling the attacks unacceptable, he said Washington must halt them immediately and conduct prompt, independent and transparent investigations.
President Donald Trump has said the strikes are necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the US and he has the legal authority to continue bombing boats in international waters.
Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has said strikes are being carried out on vessels operated by drug-trafficking groups designated as terrorist organisations by the US, saying this week that the Western Hemisphere is no longer a safe haven for narco-terrorists bringing drugs to our shores to poison Americans.
Türk, while acknowledging the challenges of tackling drug trafficking, said in a statement that the circumstances for the deadly strikes find no justification in international law.
He added that based on very sparse information provided publicly by the US authorities, none of the individuals on the targeted boats appeared to pose an imminent threat to lives of others.
He called on the US to use law enforcement methods including intercepting boats and detaining suspects, and if necessary, prosecuting individuals.
Most strikes have taken place off the coast of South America in the Caribbean, though attacks in the Pacific this week killed at least 18 people, according to Hegseth.
The strikes have drawn condemnation in the region and experts have questioned their legality. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum called for meetings with the US ambassador, insisting that all international treaties be respected.
The US actions have also heightened tensions between Washington and the governments of Colombia and Venezuela.
Trump has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading a drug-trafficking organisation, which he denies. Venezuela's attorney general claimed Trump is trying to overthrow the Venezuelan government, accusing the US of aiming to seize the country's natural resources.
