US declares 'armed conflict' with drug gangs

According to the Trump administration, the United States is currently in "a non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels.

The Trump administration has sent a memorandum to Congress , informing it that the United States is in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels it has designated as terrorist organizations, local media reported on October 2.

"President Trump has determined that these gangs are terrorist organizations and that their actions constitute an armed attack against the United States," the White House memo said, accusing the groups of conducting repeated attacks across the Western Hemisphere.

However, the report did not specify which gangs were involved nor how US authorities identified the suspects targeted with those gangs.

US President Donald Trump. Photo: balkanweb.

Last month, U.S. forces attacked three vessels suspected of carrying drugs from Venezuela in international waters in the southern Caribbean, killing 17 people on board. The Trump administration said the attack was an act of self-defense.

However, the US raids on three suspected drug-carrying vessels have drawn criticism from Democrats in Congress. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island said on October 2 that the Trump administration had not provided any legal reasons, evidence or credible intelligence for the raids.

US raids drug ship believed to be from Venezuela. Photo: KTVU.

The US has also deployed warships to the Caribbean. A source said the Pentagon has built up a force of more than 6,500 troops in the region.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly accused the US of using gang threats as a pretext for regime change and military buildup in Latin America.

>>> Readers are invited to watch more videos : Houthi forces attack and sink a cargo ship at sea

Video source: Daily Mail

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/my-tuyen-bo-xung-dot-vu-trang-voi-cac-bang-dang-ma-tuy-post2149057843.html