HAVANA (AP) 鈥� An killed 32 Cuban officers over the weekend, the Cuban government said Sunday in the first official acknowledgement of the deaths.
The Cuban military and police officers were on a mission the Caribbean country鈥檚 military was carrying out at the request of Venezuela鈥檚 government, according to a statement read on Cuban state TV on Sunday night.
What the Cubans were working on in the South American nation was unclear, but Cuba is a close ally of Venezuela鈥檚 government has sent military and police forces to assist in operations for years.
鈥淵ou know, a lot of Cubans were killed yesterday,鈥� U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew Sunday night from Florida back to Washington. 鈥淭here was a lot of death on the other side. No death on our side.鈥�
The U.S. operation Saturday seized Venezuelan President Nicol谩s to face prosecution on an indictment accusing them of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Cuba鈥檚 government announced two days of mourning for the Cuban officers who were killed.
鈥淔aithful to their responsibilities for security and defense, our compatriots fulfilled their duty with dignity and heroism and fell after fierce resistance in direct combat against the attackers or as a result of the bombings of the facilities,鈥� the official statement added.
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