A developing story is unfolding regarding the U.S. military’s handling of survivors from a recent strike in the Caribbean, reportedly the sixth such incident attributed to President Donald Trump. The attack, which the administration claims targets drug smugglers, has drawn criticism as potentially unlawful.
Reuters was among the first to report on the detention of survivors following a Thursday strike, citing unnamed sources. According to the outlet, “Five sources familiar with the matter said the U.S. military staged a helicopter rescue to pick up the survivors of the attack and bring them back to the U.S. warship.”
The Associated Press confirmed the report, citing two unnamed sources who indicated that survivors were transported to a Navy ship. The outlet noted that “the survivors of this strike now face an unclear future and legal landscape, including questions about whether they are now considered to be prisoners of war or defendants in a criminal case.”
The Intercept also reported that government sources confirmed the survivors are being held on a warship. Brian Finucane, a former State Department lawyer specializing in counterterrorism and the laws of war, commented that “given that there is no armed conflict, there is no basis to hold these survivors as law of war detainees.”
Finucane further criticized the administration, stating, “The Trump administration is already using a make-believe armed conflict to kill people. Will it also use this make-believe armed conflict to detain people as well?”
During a press briefing at the White House, Trump described the attack as targeting “a drug-carrying submarine.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was present, stated that additional details would be released soon.
Both the White House and the Pentagon have not officially responded to the reports. The situation arises against the backdrop of growing concerns over the Trump administration’s efforts to influence political change in Venezuela. Human rights organizations, members of Congress, legal experts, and other critics have condemned the strikes, which have resulted in the deaths of at least 27 individuals, labeling them as acts of murder.
This marks the first time that survivors have been reported from such an attack. Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, stated, “For the first time, some people survive a Trump-ordered strike on a boat in the Caribbean, meaning there are witnesses to what he tries to pass off as acts of war but are really murders which the International Criminal Court may be able to prosecute.”
This is a developing story. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
English 
Arabic 