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Armed Conflict

Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on the legal, policy, and strategic dimensions of armed conflict, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, counterterrorism operations, conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, and other armed conflicts across the globe, with a focus on international humanitarian law, war crimes and accountability, mitigating and remedying civilian harm, and the humanitarian impacts of warfare.

Civilian HarmIsrael-Hamas WarLaw of Armed Conflict/IHLRussia-UkraineSudanUse of Force
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3,316 Articles
Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jorge Alberto Arreaza holds the Charter of the United Nations during a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Caracas, on January 28, 2019.

The UN Charter’s Original Effect on State Sovereignty and the Use of Force

In 1945, not all states were UN members and not all territories were states: Dehn explains how use of force and self-defense rights under the Charter reflect these different statuses…
Aug. 27, 2020
Graffiti showing a US drone is depicted on a wall to protest against US drone strikes on September 19, 2018 in Sana'a, Yemen.

State Dept. Inspector General Report: A Troubling Message on Arms Sales

"A stunning revelation given the repeated, severe cases of civilian casualties resulting from Saudi-led Coalition operations over the past several years."
Aug. 26, 2020 and
The U.S. Supreme Court at night.

The Supreme Court’s Attack on Habeas Corpus in DHS v. Thuraissigiam

Refugees are the primary target of the Court’s decision in DHS v. Thuraissigiam, but the the opinion endangers everyone – U.S. citizens included – by reopening settled questions…
Aug. 25, 2020

The “Beatles” on Trial: Obtaining Justice for Victims of Foreign ISIS Fighters

It is increasingly likely that two ISIS fighters, involved in the killing of several Americans, will be brought to trial in a courtroom in Virginia.
Aug. 24, 2020
The words "My Government Did This" are displayed on a barrier on the Charles Helou highway in front of the ruined port of Beirut.

The Cost of Resilience: The Roots and Impacts of the Beirut Blast

The Aug. 4 explosion at the Beirut port is not the cause of catastrophe in Lebanon, it is the result. To understand its causes and impacts, we must look to what came before, including…
Aug. 21, 2020
Somali soldiers enter Sanguuni military base, where an American special operations soldier was killed by a mortar attack on June 8, about 450 km south of Mogadishu, Somalia, on June 13, 2018.

House and Senate Chart Different Courses on US Clandestine Support of Foreign Militias

Special Operations Forces are a prized US military asset that requires careful oversight to prevent abuses, strategic miscalculations, and mission failures.
Aug. 20, 2020
A woman wearing a niqab (full face veil) walks carrying an infant at al-Hol camp for displaced people in al-Hasakeh governorate in northeastern Syria on July 22, 2019, as people collect UN-provided humanitarian aid packages.

The Challenges of a New UN Security Council Resolution on Foreign Fighters

The United Nations Security Council is actively negotiating a new Chapter VII resolution directed at the regulation of so-called “foreign terrorist fighters” this month. The…
Aug. 17, 2020
State Dept PM’s Marik String speaks at annual To Walk The Earth In Safety event.

A Conflict of Interest Raises Questions for State Department’s Top Lawyer

Did Marik String successfully stymy inspector general investigation into his own actions?
Aug. 14, 2020
A Lebanese protester waves a national flag amid clashes with security forces in the vicinity of Parliament in central Beirut on August 10, 2020.

Lebanon’s Peace Cartel is Irredeemable – How Donors Choose to Help Can Tip the Scales

Who controls aid matters for the immediate disaster response and for the leverage of those who have suffered the disaster against those who enabled it.
Aug. 12, 2020
Palestinian protesters run for cover as Israeli forces fire tear gas canisters during clashes following a demonstration marking the first anniversary of the "March of Return" protests, near the border with Israel east of Gaza City on March 30, 2019.

Extrajudicial Executions from the United States to Palestine 

Israel’s “shoot-to-kill policy,” based on racialization and dehumanization of Palestinians, and the militarized U.S. response to Black uprisings, are the manifestations of…
Aug. 7, 2020
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AFRICOM’s Improved Civilian Casualty Reporting System Still Leaves Gaps for Somalia

Only with more ways to submit reports and the proper followup can the U.S. military start to rebuild trust among communities harmed by its actions.
Aug. 6, 2020
A member of the Syrian Civil Defence (The White Helmet) checks the rubble and debris at a medical centre following reported shelling by the Syrian government, in the Syrian town of Hbeit in the southern countryside of the rebel-held Idlib province on April 30, 2019.

Bashar al-Assad is Criminally Responsible for Syria’s COVID-19 Crisis

Syrians who die as a result of the inaccessibility to treatment or protection against COVID-19 may also result in criminal responsibility.
Aug. 5, 2020 and
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