Ankara: Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for investigations into the discovery of corpses washing ashore, suspecting they might be casualties of US military strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific. Petro made this request on Sunday, highlighting the need for a thorough examination of the incidents.

According to Anadolu Agency, Petro shared images and footage on the US social media platform X, depicting bodies found in La Guajira, a northern Colombian region bordering Venezuela. This area is near the Caribbean Sea, where the United States has conducted strikes as part of its anti-narcotics operations. In his social media post, Petro noted, "Bodies found in the far north of La Guajira. We await identification by forensic medicine."

Petro further stated that the bodies were seen floating in the sea off La Guajira, urging forensic medicine experts to determine their identities and work in coordination with Venezuela's prosecutor's office. "They may be deaths from bombing in the sea," he indicated, suggesting a possible link to military actions.

The United States has executed at least 22 strikes in the area on vessels suspected of drug trafficking since September, resulting in at least 87 fatalities. In recent months, the US has intensified its military operations across Latin America, deploying various military assets, including Marines, warships, fighter jets, bombers, submarines, and drones.