A global coalition of 125 organizations is urging states to cease all support for U.S. extrajudicial killings of individuals on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, which have resulted in over 175 deaths since September 2025. These operations, targeting suspected narco-terrorists, are argued by the coalition to violate international law by lacking due process and occurring outside recognized armed conflict. The appeal extends accountability to third-party countries facilitating these attacks through intelligence sharing, military base access, and other forms of assistance, as states permitting these actions risk complicity and legal responsibility. This international outcry highlights growing concern over the normalization of lethal military force against individuals not meeting the legal threshold for an “imminent threat.”
Read More
The crew of the Don Maca fishing vessel described a harrowing ordeal wherein their boat was attacked by drones and subsequently boarded by soldiers from a US-flagged patrol vessel. Following the drone strikes, which injured several crew members and destroyed the boat, the fishermen claim they were detained at gunpoint, their possessions confiscated, and their vessel set ablaze before being transferred to another patrol boat and eventually handed over to Salvadorian authorities. This account raises serious questions regarding the legality of US military operations against alleged drug-trafficking vessels, with no evidence provided to support the claim that the fishing boat was involved in illegal activities. The incident highlights the potential for extrajudicial killings and violations of international law in the ongoing US campaign.
Read More
In December 2024 alone, Russian forces deployed chemical weapons in 434 separate battlefield incidents, according to a January 18th report from Ukraine’s General Staff. This brings the total recorded instances since February 2023 to 5,389, including the use of prohibited munitions like K-51 and RG-VO. These actions constitute a systemic violation of warfare rules, resulting in over 2,000 Ukrainian soldier hospitalizations and three deaths from chemical poisoning. Ukraine responded to these attacks by assassinating the head of Russia’s chemical defense troops, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker