Category World News

At least five people have been killed by the US military in yet another alleged drug smuggling boat attack, and the coastguard has been ordered to launch a search for survivors.

The location of the attacks was not disclosed in the US Southern Command’s statement on Wednesday.

The eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea have previously been the target of attacks.

The military claimed the ships were in a convoy along known narco-trafficking routes and that they “had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes” in a video posted by the Southern Command on social media.

The claim was denied by the military because there was no supporting evidence.

According to the statement, “Three narco-terrorists were killed in the first engagement aboard the first vessel.” The remaining narco-terrorists “abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before subsequent engagements sank their respective vessels,” the statement continued.

Later, it claimed that the vessel was struck twice by another vessel and that the second ship struck caused two fatalities.

The US Coast Guard was informed to “activate the Search and Rescue system,” according to the military.

The US military’s request for a rescue mission was notable because it attracted significant scrutiny after it carried out a follow-up strike on their disabled boat in early September, killing the victims of the attack.

While the administration of US President Donald Trump and some Republican lawmakers claim that the follow-up strike was legal, some Democrats and legal experts claim that the military committed a crime.

Eight people were being sought in the Pacific Ocean after leaving their vessels, according to a US official cited by the Reuters news agency.

The US Coast Guard also disclosed to the agency that it was working with nearby vessels and had deployed a C-130 aircraft to search for survivors.

Under the Trump administration, there have also been survivors of previous US strikes. After surviving a US military strike, two survivors were repatriated to their home countries in October.

Following a second US strike that had left a victim, Mexican authorities launched a search and rescue operation later that month. That person was not discovered.

According to the Trump administration’s announcements, the attacks on Wednesday increase the total number of known boat strikes to 33 and the total number of fatalities to at least 112.

Trump has asserted that Washington is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels while denying that the attacks are a necessary escalation to halt the flow of drugs into the US.

As part of an ongoing campaign to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who the US accuses of narco-terrorism, his administration has also established military forces in the area, including the deployment of more than 15, 000 troops.

Caracas denies any involvement in drug trafficking and asserts that Washington is attempting to seize Maduro’s largest oil reserves in the world.

Trump claimed on Monday that this was the first time Washington had conducted land operations in Venezuela and that it had “hit” an area where ships are loaded with drugs.

Cameroon also lost to Mozambique on Wednesday, but Christian Kofane’s thunderbolt earned a 2-1 victory.

Ivory Coast and Cameroon, the reigning champions, finished with a plus-two goal difference. The Ivorians won the matchup with Cameroon and the Ivorians, who scored five goals.

The last 16 lineup was finished with the results. Burkinabe will face Burkinabe, Cameroon will face South Africa, and Mozambique will face Nigeria.

Ivory Coast took the lead in Marrakech with a two-goal lead midway through the first half before the title-holders cut the deficit just before the break to tie the score at 2-1 at half-time.

Guelor Kanga scored for the Gabonese Panthers after 11 minutes, scoring after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the team’s most famous player, had returned to France to recover from a thigh injury.

Three days prior, Gabon was cut out of the race to qualify for the knockout stage with a score of 3-2 against Mozambique.

On the 21st minute, Los Angeles-based Denis Bouanga scored his first goal of the tournament, putting Ivory Coast even further in the lead.

Wilfried Zaha, a former Crystal Palace winger who was called up for the AFCON after missing the storied 2024 campaign, set up Jean-Philippe Krasso for the opening goal on 44 minutes.

Midway through the second half, the defending champions defeated Franck Kessie and Zaha, but Amad Diallo, who had scored in the previous two group games, remained on the bench.

Oumar Diakite, who had been yellow-carded, was walking a disciplinary tightrope when he was replaced with Manchester United winger Diallo on 76 minutes.

With six minutes of regular time remaining, Evann Guessand added another substitute. When Sebastien Haller, who was injured, withdrew from the squad, he was a late addition.

Roger Milla and Samuel Eto’o, two legendary Camerooners, were present in Agadir’s southern coastal city to witness Mozambique take a surprise lead in 23 minutes.

A low shot from Sporting, a leader in Portugal, was unleashed by Geny Catamo in front of goalkeeper Devis Epassy and soared just inside the left post.

Five minutes into the final five minutes, Feliciano “Nene” Jone conceded an own goal to set up Cameroon’s equalizing goal.

Goalkeeper Ivane Urrubal blocked the ball, which fumbled to Frank Magri as he battled two unmarked Cameroonian attackers.

Magri hit the post, but Nene was the only one to squander the ball into the Mozambican net as he attempted to clear it.

Ten minutes later, Cameroon scored the ball again, but Christian Kofane, a 19-year-old from Germany, was declared offside.