WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it launched another strike Friday on a boat accused of ferrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people.
The Trump administration's campaign of blowing up alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters has persisted since early September and killed at least 183 people in total. Other strikes have taken place in the Caribbean Sea.
The military has not provided evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs.
The attacks began as the U.S. built up its largest military presence in the region in generations and came months ahead of the raid in January that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He was brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty.
In the latest attack Friday, U.S. Southern Command repeated previous statements by saying it had targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. It posted a video on X showing a boat floating in the water before a explosion left it in flames.
President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.
Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — At least 42 people were killed in eastern Chad after a clash between two families over a water point escalated into a cycle of reprisals, the country’s deputy prime minister said late Sunday.
Limane Mahamat said during a visit to the village of Igote, in the Wadi Fira province, near the border with Sudan, where the clashes occurred on Saturday, that 42 people were killed and 10 wounded. He said those injured were evacuated to the provincial health center.
Mahamat said the cycle of reprisals had spread over a fairly large area, prompting an intervention by the army. He said the “swift response” by the military helped contain the clashes and that the situation is now “under control."
The deputy prime minister announced the launch of a 'customary mediation' process in the village and of judicial proceedings to determine criminal responsibility.
Intercommunal clashes over resources are common in the Central African country. Last year, clashes between farmers and herders in southwestern Chad left 42 people dead and several homes burned.
Mahamat said the government will take “all necessary measures” to prevent a destabilization of the border area, where the clashes took place.
Chad's eastern provinces have for several months been hosting refugees fleeing the war in Sudan and are facing increasing pressure on resources and security. Hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees have poured across the border into Chad since the conflict began.
In February, Chad closed its border with Sudan “until further notice,” calling it an attempt to limit the spread of conflict into its territory after multiple crossings by fighters with the warring Sudanese factions.
The war in Sudan has killed more than 40,000 people, according to United Nations figures, but aid groups say the true number could be many times higher.
The conflict has created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with over 14 million people forced to flee their homes. It also has fueled disease outbreaks and pushed parts of Sudan into famine.
In this photo release by the Chadian Press Agency, Limane Mahamat, deputy prime minister, center left, is greeted upon his arrival at Igote village following a clash between two families over a water point, in the Wadi Fira, Chad, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Chadian Press Agency via AP)
In this photo release by the Chadian Press Agency, Limane Mahamat, deputy prime minister, center, arrives at Igote village following a clash between two families over a water point, in the Wadi Fira, Chad, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Chadian Press Agency via AP)
