LOC08:34
05:34 GMT
WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (KUNA) -- The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said late Monday that its forces eliminated eight individuals during strikes against three vessels carrying narcotics in the eastern Pacific.
The SOUTHCOM said on X, "At the direction of Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters."
"Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking," it added.
"A total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions - three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third."
SOUTHCOM has published a video of the operation on its account.
The tally of those killed in US anti-drug-smuggling operations had increased to 95.
The US administration informed Congress in early September that it would target "terrorist" drug gangs. (end)
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