By Kelly Were
United Nations human rights experts have accused the United States military of committing potential war crimes through a series of lethal strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, calling for an immediate halt and independent investigation.
In a statement released this month, the experts detailed at least 15 separate attacks carried out since 2nd September, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 64 individuals, with only three survivors reported.
The operations, which US authorities describe as counter-narcotics missions, have targeted boats allegedly used for drug trafficking. However, the UN experts contend that the scale and lethality of the force employed are grossly disproportionate and unlawful.
“These summary executions, conducted without due process, may constitute war crimes and must be investigated immediately,” the experts’ statement read.
They argue that under international maritime and human rights law, law enforcement operations should prioritise capture and judicial process, and the use of lethal force must be an absolute last resort to counter an immediate threat to life.
The US government has defended its actions. A Department of Defense spokesperson stated, “Our actions are lawful counter-narcotics operations targeting vessels deemed hostile under our rules of engagement.”
This policy framework, which has been escalated from its origins in the previous Trump administration, effectively treats suspected drug smuggling vessels as “enemy combatants” in a militarised conflict, a classification that critics find deeply troubling.
A human rights advocate familiar with the matter noted, “Labelling suspected traffickers as ‘enemy combatants’ is a dangerous precedent that circumvents international human rights law.”
The UN condemnation places a stark spotlight on the legal justifications for the US’s intensified “war on cartels” and challenges the boundaries of acceptable force in international waters, with calls growing for transparency and accountability for the lives lost.
