US strikes kill five on alleged drug boats in Pacific

WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (AFP): The US military said it killed on Thursday five more alleged drug traffickers aboard two vessels in the Pacific Ocean, bringing the divisive campaign's death toll to over 100.

The Trump administration has carried out such strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since September but has provided no evidence that the boats are involved in drug trafficking, prompting debate about the operations' legality.

The latest strikes hit two vessels in international waters that were "engaged in narco-trafficking operations," US Southern Command said on X.