Unprovoked lethal strikes by the United States against vessels at sea may amount to international crimes: UN experts

GENEVA – Repeated and systematic lethal attacks by the United States military on boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific raise grave concerns about the commission of potential international crimes, UN experts* warned today.

“These attacks appear to be unlawful killings carried out by order of a Government, without judicial or legal process allowing due process of law,” the experts said.

Since 2 September 2025 there have been at least 15 strikes reported by U.S. officials, with 64 persons alleged to have been killed, and three survivors.

U.S. officials have argued that the attacks were against suspected illicit drug traffickers, and submitted that they were conducted as part of a fight against “narco-traffickers” or “narco-terrorists” operated by groups which the United States has designated as terrorist organisations.