A United Nations human rights expert has raised serious legal concerns over a US military campaign targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels, saying the attacks could amount to crimes against humanity.
Sahara Reporters, citing BBC News, reported that UN Special Rapporteur Ben Saul said there were reasonable grounds to believe that the reported strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific could constitute the crime against humanity of murder under customary international law.
The assessment covers dozens of US attacks carried out since September 2025. Figures cited in the UN briefing indicate that 68 strikes have killed 223 people. The latest reported operation took place in the Caribbean, where the US military said four people were killed after a vessel was targeted over alleged involvement in drug trafficking.
The US has defended the campaign as part of its efforts to disrupt drug trafficking and protect Americans. US Southern Command said intelligence had identified the targeted vessel as being involved in narcotics trafficking, while Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has described those targeted by the operation as “narco-terrorists.”
However, Saul questioned whether the use of military force against the vessels could be justified under international law. He argued that the alleged targets had not carried out an armed attack against the United States that would provide a basis for self-defence. He also said that designation as a terrorist organisation does not, by itself, establish a legal basis for lethal force.
The UN concerns build on earlier communications from UN human rights experts questioning the legality of the US campaign, including the use of military force against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in international waters.
Washington continues to maintain that the operations are aimed at disrupting narcotics trafficking. The US military has described the targeted vessels as being involved in drug trafficking, while rights experts have called for greater evidence and legal scrutiny of the strikes.
