US Armed Forces Killed Survivors of Sunk Drug Boat Following 'Kill All' Order from Defense Secretary

According to The Washington Post (WP) on the 28th (local time), the United States Armed Forces (US Armed Forces) killed survivors after sinking a 'drug transport vessel' in the Caribbean Sea last September, following the 'kill all' order from the Minister of National Defense.
The report states that on September 2, the US Armed Forces attacked a boat suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea with a missile. Drone footage later confirmed that two survivors were clinging to the wreckage.
Afterward, Frank M. Bradley, commander of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), ordered a second strike to carry out the 'kill all' directive from Minister Pete Hegseth, resulting in the deaths of the two remaining survivors.
At the time, Commander Bradley told military personnel participating in a secure conference call that the survivors could contact other drug traffickers to retrieve the drugs from the boat, making them legitimate targets.
While the airstrike on the drug boat was already known, this is the first report that the US Armed Forces eliminated the survivors in a second attack following the directive from Minister Hegseth.

Beginning with the September 2 attack, the Trump administration went on to strike at least 22 more boats near the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, killing an additional 71 people.

The Trump administration has claimed that these boats were used by drug cartels, designated as terrorist organizations by the administration, to smuggle drugs into the United States.

The Trump administration has attempted to justify killing the boat crews by classifying them as combatants of cartels engaged in armed conflict with the US, but critics argue that killing suspects without due process, especially those not proven guilty of drug trafficking, violates International law and constitutes a military operation requiring Parliamentary approval.
JSOC, in its report to The White House and Parliament regarding the September 2 attack, explained that the intention behind the second strike on the drug vessel was to sink the boat and prevent it from posing a navigational hazard to other ships, not to kill the survivors.

However, some lawmakers remain skeptical of the Defense Ministry's explanation and have raised concerns about potential violations of International law.

International law prohibits the execution of combatants who are wounded or have surrendered and are no longer able to fight.

Seth Moulton, a Democratic member of the House of Representatives, stated, "The idea that the wreckage of a small boat in the vast ocean poses a threat to maritime traffic is clearly absurd, and the killing of survivors is a blatant violation of the law."

However, sources told WP that after the September 2 airstrike, the US Armed Forces revised their rules of engagement to emphasize the rescue of survivors.

On October 16, the US Armed Forces attacked a boat in the Atlantic Ocean, killing two people. The remaining two were captured and repatriated to their home countries, Colombia and the Republic of Ecuador.

On October 27 in the eastern Pacific, four vessels were attacked, resulting in the deaths of 14 people. One survivor was left for the Mexican Coast Guard to rescue, but that individual was ultimately not found.



jjw@fnnews.com Jung Ji-woo Reporter