Cuba says speedboat carried 13,000 rounds

Cuban officials say a group of armed exiles who attempted to enter the island by speedboat this week carried nearly 13,000 rounds of ammunition, along with rifles and pistols, as new details emerged about a deadly firefight at sea.

Authorities in Havana said 10 Cuban nationals traveling from the United States entered Cuban waters on Wednesday and opened fire on a border guard patrol vessel. Cuban forces returned fire, killing four people and wounding six others, who were taken into custody, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Senior officers from Cuba’s Interior Ministry appeared on a special broadcast to present what they described as seized equipment. Officials said they recovered 12,846 rounds of ammunition, 13 rifles, 11 pistols, a drone, radios, knives, bolt cutters and a portable power generator.

Photos shown on television displayed vessels riddled with bullet holes. Officials said the firefight eventually narrowed to a distance of about 20 meters after initially beginning at around 185 meters. According to authorities, the captain of the Cuban patrol boat was shot in the abdomen but continued steering during the exchange.

Cuba described its response as “proportional,” saying firearms were used defensively in reaction to incoming gunfire.

The confrontation comes during strained relations between Havana and Washington under U.S. President Donald Trump. Cuban officials say the group departed from Marathon in the Florida Keys on two vessels before consolidating onto one speedboat, which a U.S. official reportedly said had been stolen in Florida.

Havana identified the assailants as Cuban exiles, some previously listed as suspected terrorists, and accused them of planning to attack military installations and incite unrest on the Communist-ruled island. Authorities said they found symbols linked to anti-communist groups, including the November 30th Movement and People’s Self-Defense.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would independently investigate the incident, adding that it was not a U.S. government operation and that no American personnel were involved.

Prosecutors said the detained suspects are receiving medical treatment and face charges that include armed aggression, illegal entry and crimes associated with terrorist acts. Depending on the charges, they could face prison terms ranging from 10 to 30 years, and potentially the death penalty for the most serious offenses.

 

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada