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Cuban forces killed four people and wounded six others aboard a Florida-registered speedboat that entered Cuban waters and opened fire on a Cuban patrol, the Cuban government said at a time of high tensions with the United States.
The injured were evacuated and received medical assistance, while the Cuban patrol commander was also injured, Cuba's Interior Ministry said in a statement, adding that the matter was under investigation to clarify exactly what happened.
The highly unusual incident occurred amid tensions between Cuba and the United States, which has blocked almost all oil shipments to the island, increasing pressure on the communist-led government.
US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on January 3, removing a key Cuban ally from power.
The motorboat was just one nautical mile from a channel in Falcones Cay, on Cuba's northern coast, about 200 km (120 miles) east of Havana, when it was approached by five members of a Cuban border patrol unit, Cuba said. The motorboat then opened fire, wounding the Cuban ship's commander, the statement said.
None of the dead or injured aboard the incoming ship were identified, but Cuba said it was registered in Florida with the number FL7726SH.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
"Faced with current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to protecting its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in maintaining its sovereignty and stability in the region," the Cuban statement said.
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