The US military has attacked and destroyed another boat in its ongoing and controversial fight against what it says are drug-trafficking activities.
The strike for the first time was carried out on the Pacific side of South America. Previous attacks have hit seven vessels in the Caribbean and killed at least 34 people.
In a brief video released by US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, a small boat, half-filled with brown packages, is seen moving along at sea. Several seconds into the video, the boat explodes and is seen floating motionless in flames.
In his post, Hegseth took the unusual step of equating the alleged drug traffickers to the terror group that conducted the attacks on the US on September 11, 2001.
“Just as al-Qaida waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our border and our people,” Hegseth said, adding that “there will be no refuge or forgiveness – only justice”.
Donald Trump announced what appears to have been the first strike on a boat on 3 September, releasing a brief video of the attack.
Since then, the Trump administration has detailed more strikes without disclosing many details about the targets other than the number of people killed, and the allegation that the boats carried narcotics. The attacks have prompted widespread condemnation, both from civil liberties groups and South American nations.
On Tuesday the Guardian revealed that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is providing the bulk of the intelligence used to carry out the airstrikes. Experts say the agency’s central role means much of the evidence used to select the targets will almost certainly remain secret.
The president confirmed last Wednesday that he had authorized covert CIA action in Venezuela, but not what the agency would be doing.
Reuters contributed to this report
