Trinidad and Tobago approves US military aircraft transit in airports

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Dec 15 - Trinidad and Tobago granted approval on Monday for United States military aircraft to transit ‍its ​airports in the coming ‍weeks, amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.

The ​Caribbean ​country’s foreign ministry said in a statement it was committed to cooperating with the U.S. ‍on regional security, adding that the aircraft movements ​were logistics-related.

In November, ⁠a senior U.S. military official met with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to reaffirm the partnership ​and discuss priorities for regional security and stability, the Pentagon ‌said.

The U.S. has ​stepped up operations in the Caribbean and Pacific in recent months, including more than 20 strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels this year that have killed nearly 90 people.

U.S. President Donald Trump ‍has recently raised the possibility of military ​intervention in Venezuela, citing allegations that the country ships ​narcotics to the United States, ‌which Caracas denies. REUTERS

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