UN human rights chief says US strikes on alleged drug boats ‘unacceptable’

Volker Turk voices uncommon disapproval of the US bombing run that has killed much than 60 radical successful little than 2 months.

The United Nations quality rights main has called for an probe into United States subject strikes against boats successful the Caribbean Sea and eastbound Pacific Ocean allegedly carrying amerciable drugs from South America, saying the attacks are “unacceptable” and indispensable stop.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) caput Volker Turk voiced the archetypal outright condemnation of US strikes from a UN organisation successful a connection connected Friday.

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“These attacks – and their mounting quality outgo – are unacceptable,” Turk said. “The US indispensable halt specified attacks and instrumentality each measures indispensable to forestall the extrajudicial sidesplitting of radical aboard these boats, immoderate the transgression behaviour alleged against them.”

Speaking connected Turk’s behalf astatine a regular UN briefing, spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said the apical UN authoritative believed Washington’s behaviour violated planetary quality rights instrumentality and called for “prompt, independent, and transparent investigations”.

US President Donald Trump has justified the attacks connected the boats arsenic a indispensable escalation successful the effort to stem the travel of drugs into the United States, but the run against cause cartels has been divisive among countries successful the region.

His progressively belligerent approach to Venezuela and Colombia, some led by left-wing governments, suggests imaginable ulterior motives, possibly adjacent “regime change” successful the former.

The US has precocious sent an craft bearer onslaught radical to Latin America, successful a large escalation of its subject beingness successful the region, prompting speculation of a imaginable effort to overthrow the Venezuelan government.

Shamdasani noted the US explanations but said countries person agelong agreed that the combat against illicit cause trafficking is simply a law-enforcement substance governed by “careful limits” placed connected the usage of lethal force.

Intentional usage of lethal unit is allowed lone arsenic a past edifice against idiosyncratic representing “an imminent menace to life,” she said. “Otherwise, it would magnitude to a usurpation of the close of beingness and represent extrajudicial killings.”

The strikes are taking spot “outside the context” of equipped struggle oregon progressive hostilities, Shamdasani said.

US strikes termination dozens

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth connected Wednesday announced the latest subject strike connected a vessel helium said was carrying drugs successful the eastbound Pacific Ocean. All 4 radical connected committee were killed.

With Wednesday’s onslaught – the 14th since the run began successful aboriginal September –the decease toll has grown to astatine slightest 61.

On Tuesday morning, Hegseth said Washington had carried retired three much attacks against boats accused of trafficking amerciable narcotics successful the waters of the eastbound Pacific Ocean, sidesplitting 14 radical and leaving 1 survivor.

The drawstring of attacks connected Monday marked the archetypal clip aggregate strikes were announced successful a azygous day. It was besides the 2nd clip a subsister has been confirmed since the bombing run began connected September 2.

On October 16, different onslaught reportedly near 2 survivors, some of whom were repatriated to their location countries.

The US president has besides repeatedly threatened to grow his bombing run to overland targets arsenic well, a pledge that has yet to travel to fruition.