Pentagon places 50 suspected Afghan drug traffickers on its hit list

Washington, Aug. 10 (ANI): In a bid to disrupt the flow of drug money that is aiding Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, the Pentagon has reportedly put 50 alleged drug traffickers on a hit list for elimination.

According to a congressional study, this targeting reflects a major shift in US counter narcotics strategy in Afghanistan.

US military commanders were quoted by The News as saying that this policy is legal under the military's rules of engagement and international law.

Two US generals serving in Afghanistan said that major traffickers with proven links to the insurgency have been put on the "joint integrated prioritized target list," which means they have been given the same target status as insurgent leaders and can be captured or killed at any time.

Currently, they said, there are about 50 major traffickers who contribute money to the Taliban on the list, according to the report.

"We have a list of 367 kill or capture' targets, including 50 nexus targets who link drugs and the insurgency," one of the generals told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff. (ANI)