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Southcom

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US Shifts Africa-Based Drones to Southcom for Anticipated Counternarcotics Ops
world23 days ago

US Shifts Africa-Based Drones to Southcom for Anticipated Counternarcotics Ops

The US military plans to move MQ-9 Reaper drones operating over Africa to US Southern Command in the Americas to support anticipated counternarcotics and counterterrorism operations, possibly including Ecuador. The transfer could involve most of Africa Command’s MQ-9s and follows a broader pattern of regional deployments (drones, jets, and gunships) to the Caribbean, as officials signal a push to escalate on land with partner nations. The Pentagon declined to comment, and experts caution about the actual impact of such strikes while noting legal and logistical complexities amid a shifting regional security posture.

via cnn.com|
#counternarcotics#counterterrorism#drones
US strikes suspected narco-ship in Pacific, two killed
world1 month ago

US strikes suspected narco-ship in Pacific, two killed

The US Southern Command says it struck a low-profile vessel suspected of narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific, killing two people, as part of Operation Southern Spear aimed at disrupting cartels. The move is framed as a demonstration of lethal precision and commitment to protecting the U.S. homeland, but rights groups warn of possible extrajudicial killings and a Pentagon inspector general review of targeting procedures.

via Al Jazeera|
#eastern-pacific#extrajudicial-killings#narco-trafficking
Iwo Jima ARG Heads Home After 10 Months in SOUTHCOM Ops
defense4 months ago

Iwo Jima ARG Heads Home After 10 Months in SOUTHCOM Ops

After nearly 10 months in U.S. Southern Command, the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are heading home to Norfolk. Redirected from Europe and briefly returning to Norfolk to dodge Hurricane Erin, the ARG/MEU supported Operation Southern Spear against illicit narcotics boats, reinforced U.S. embassies in Haiti and Venezuela, delivered humanitarian aid to Jamaica, and conducted bilateral exercises. San Antonio had already returned; Iwo Jima and Fort Lauderdale remained in the Caribbean as other forces regroup. SOUTHCOM continued narcotics interdictions—one May 26 strike killed a man and left two survivors, and a separate go-fast vessel seizure yielded 1,153 kilograms of cocaine—while the Coast Guard searches for survivors.

via USNI News|
#22nd-meu#defense#iwo-jima-arg
world7 months ago

US-Ecuador Joint Strikes Target Narco-Terrorist Groups Inside Ecuador

The United States and Ecuador have launched joint military operations inside Ecuador against designated terrorist organizations as part of an ongoing campaign against narcotics networks, with few details released and praise from U.S. Southern Command; the operation appears to extend prior regional strikes amid Ecuador's security challenges tied to gangs and drug trafficking.

via Politico|
#ecuador#narco-terrorism#southcom
US targets suspected drug-boat in the eastern Pacific, two dead
world8 months ago

US targets suspected drug-boat in the eastern Pacific, two dead

The US military, via SOUTHCOM, says it carried out a lethal strike on a vessel suspected of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific, killing two people. The strike is part of Operation Southern Spear and marks the second known attack this year with no US casualties reported. While the administration says the campaign aims to curb narcotics trafficking, Congress and military lawyers have raised questions about its legality, and the identities of those killed remain unclear. The broader context includes ongoing US pressure in the region and discussions surrounding Nicolás Maduro's status and charges in the Americas.

via cnn.com|
#drug-trafficking#eastern-pacific#maduro
Donovan Named SOUTHCOM Commander Amid Ongoing Counterdrug Ops and Cuba Tensions
defense8 months ago

Donovan Named SOUTHCOM Commander Amid Ongoing Counterdrug Ops and Cuba Tensions

The Senate confirmed Marine Lt. Gen. Francis Donovan as four-star commander of U.S. Southern Command to succeed Adm. Alvin Holsey. Donovan, with a background in Marine and special operations, will oversee continued counterdrug strikes and operations related to Maduro’s Venezuela, including past Absolute Resolve actions, while aligning SOUTHCOM with the White House NSS and Pentagon’s focus on homeland defense and Western Hemisphere challenges. The piece also notes rising U.S.-Cuba tensions following Maduro-related actions and Trump-era measures, with concerns about China and Russia cooperation impacting regional security.

via DefenseScoop|
#cuba#defense#drug-interdiction
Two Dead, One Survivor After U.S. Strike on Drug-Running Vessel in Eastern Pacific
world8 months ago

Two Dead, One Survivor After U.S. Strike on Drug-Running Vessel in Eastern Pacific

The U.S. military says a strike in the eastern Pacific on Jan. 23 killed two people and left one survivor aboard a vessel suspected of drug trafficking. SOUTHCOM stated the vessel was operated by designated terrorist organizations, and the Coast Guard is coordinating search and rescue for the survivor. The strike is part of Operation Southern Spear, an ongoing campaign to curb narcotics trafficking into the U.S., a campaign that has seen at least 117 fatalities across similar strikes so far this year.

via CNN|
#drug-trafficking#eastern-pacific#operation-southern-spear