US: Military Boat Strikes Constitute Extrajudicial Killings

Human Rights Watch today published a detailed question-and-answer document analyzing the Trump administration’s boat strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific. To date, 26 reported strikes have unlawfully killed at least 95 people, none of whom the US government has identified.

The Question-and-Answer document is intended as a resource for understanding the legal and human rights implications of the United States military campaign. The document explains why the strikes constitute extrajudicial killings under international human rights law and addresses the administration’s claims that the US is embroiled in an armed conflict with “narco-terrorists.”

It further lays out the United States’ obligations to investigate unlawful killings, hold accountable those responsible, and provide effective remedies. It identifies concrete steps Congress should take, including holding public hearings, mandating independent investigations, and creating a select committee investigate legal and operational decisions behind the strikes.