OMM Redaksiyası
UN special rapporteur Ben Saul has warned that US attacks on suspected drug-trafficking boats could amount to crimes against humanity, saying there are reasonable grounds to consider the strikes unlawful under international law.
According to a statement by Saul, US forces have killed at least 223 people in attacks on suspected drug-trafficking vessels since September 2, 2025, in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific. Washington has described the targeted boats as being involved in drug trafficking.
Questions over the legal basis
Saul questioned whether suspected drug trafficking can provide a legal basis for military force. He said the activity does not, by itself, constitute an armed attack that would justify the use of force in self-defence under international law.
Suspected traffickers should instead be dealt with through law-enforcement measures and due process, the UN expert said. He and other UN experts called for independent investigations into the deaths and accountability for those responsible if the attacks are found to have breached international law.
Concerns over alleged operations in Mexico
The special rapporteur also raised concerns about reports of covert operations in Mexico, including alleged targeted killings of cartel leaders and surveillance flights by foreign drones over Mexican territory.
The reports have not been independently verified, and Saul did not attribute the alleged operations to any particular country. He warned that foreign military operations in Mexico without authorisation could violate the country's sovereignty.
The concerns come amid mounting US pressure on Mexico over drug trafficking and organised crime. US President Donald Trump has advocated stronger action against drug cartels, while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has rejected unilateral US military intervention in Mexico.
Saul is an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council. His statements do not necessarily represent the position of the United Nations.
