DORAL, Fla. — A SOUTHCOM strike on March 25 killed four men aboard a vessel that U.S. Southern Command said was involved in narco-trafficking operations in the Caribbean.
According to SOUTHCOM, Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out the lethal kinetic strike at the direction of Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan.
The command said intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations at the time of the action.
Editor’s note: The video below contains military strike footage that some readers may find disturbing.
SOUTHCOM strike carried out by Joint Task Force Southern Spear
SOUTHCOM said the vessel was operated by designated terrorist organizations. The statement did not identify the vessel, its point of origin, or its destination.
The military said four male narco-terrorists were killed during the strike. No U.S. military forces were harmed, according to the statement.
Details released remain limited
SOUTHCOM did not provide the names or nationalities of those killed. The statement also did not specify the exact location of the strike or whether any drugs or weapons were recovered.
The March 25 release described the operation as part of efforts to apply pressure on cartel-linked trafficking activity in the region. A previous U.S. strike that killed 3 on the eve of a CARICOM summit also highlighted Washington’s continuing focus on Caribbean security operations.
The March 25 release described the operation as part of efforts to apply pressure on cartel-linked trafficking activity in the region.
