A U.S. Pentagon watchdog is set to evaluate whether U.S. forces followed an established targeting framework during attacks on dozens of alleged drug-smuggling boats in Latin American waters. The review focuses on compliance with targeting procedures during operations carried out after early September, when a series of incidents involving boat strikes resulted in fatalities in the region.
According to reports, the attacks have killed nearly 200 people, according to the accounts cited by outlets covering the watchdog’s planned assessment. The watchdog’s role is to determine whether the military adhered to the relevant framework when selecting targets and carrying out the strikes, rather than to reassess the broader policy goal of disrupting suspected drug smuggling.
The watchdog’s evaluation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the reported incidents and the way operational decisions were made. The review comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the use of force in maritime settings involving suspected trafficking vessels. The assessment’s findings are anticipated once the investigation is completed.
