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.

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3,301 Articles
People in black hoods and orange jumpsuits walk in front of US Capitol Building

Russian Torture and American (Selective) Memory

"No nation ever has and no nation ever will . . . torture their way to security."
Two women walk to the checkpoint from the Arab to the Israeli area of Hebron, West Bank.

The Law of Occupation Must Address the Lives of Women and Girls

For far too long, occupation law has ignored the experiences of women and girls. It is time to refocus the conversation.
A US Predator unmanned drone armed with a missile stands on the tarmac of Kandahar military airport on June 13, 2010.

Biden’s New Counterterrorism Policy Guidance Further Entrenches the Forever War

Biden's classified policy memorandum on counterterrorism drone strikes is just one more stepping stone in the long path of the forever war.
Graffiti showing a US drone is depicted on a wall to protest against US drone strikes on September 19, 2018 in Sana'a, Yemen.

Assessing Biden’s New Policy Framework for Counterterrorism Direct Action

Biden's new counterterrorism framework is consistent with policy efforts to dial back the war on terror.

Averting Future Mass Atrocities in South Sudan as Peace Terms Stall

Pressing for certain "reforms" carries risks. The US, with allies, can take steps to help avert a further deterioration. 
Russian President Vladimir Putin stands at a white podium. Behind him are two Russian flags.

Припиніть говорити «анексовані території»: альтернативи терміну агресора

Кожного дня, коли Україна виганяє російські війська з незаконно окупованої української території,…
Sudanese demonstrators take the streets in Khartoum on June 3, 2022, holding cutouts of soldiers toting rifles, to demand justice for scores of pro-democracy protesters killed during the suppression of a 2019 sit-in against now-ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir. A protester was shot dead in the Sudanese capital, medics said, as UN human rights expert Amada Dieng urged authorities to "refrain from use of excessive force" against demonstrators. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

UN Members Should Reject Sudan Junta’s Membership on the Human Rights Council

The country, now in the grip of a military regime, seeks a second term, and the African Union is complicit in supporting the bid.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stands at a white podium. Behind him are two Russian flags.

Stop Saying “Annexed Territories”: Alternatives to the Bully’s Term

To say Russia has “annexed” a Ukrainian oblast while Ukraine maintains its territorial claim is, in a minor way, to aid Russia in its wrongful act. The clearest description…

US Reinvests in Ethnic Oligarchy in Bosnia, Abandoning Support for Integration

President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken, together with allies, should rethink Western Balkans policy based on first principles.
A woman sitting at a laptop computer watches an investigation film by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny showing a lavish palace, located along Russia's southern Black Sea, that Navalny claimed is owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, on January 25, 2021 in Moscow. Putin denied owning the property. (Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)

The Urgency of Sustaining Momentum in the Fight Against Kleptocracy

It fueled Russia's war on Ukraine. Now it's time for democratic societies to address this challenge for the long haul, including at home.
Supporters and Judges of Krakow Courts hold banners during a protest against an ongoing session of the Disciplinary Chamber of Poland's Supreme Court to consider the application of the National Public Prosecutor's Office for permission to detain and forcibly bring Judge Igor Tuleya in front of Krakow's Appeal Court on April 21, 2021 in Krakow, Poland. Igor Tuleya, who had been critical of changes to Poland's justice system, had become a symbol of the struggle for judicial independence in Poland. The EU had taken Poland to court over judicial independence concerns. (Photo by Omar Marques/Getty Images)

Poland’s Judicial Reform Falls Short of EU Expectations, Complicating Cooperation Against Russia

Pres. Duda’s failure to reverse course on actions that increase tensions and decrease solidarity in Europe weakens their alliance with the US.
People waiting in line in foreground; spires of a Cambodian temple in background.

The ECCC Begins Winding Down: In Cambodia, a Hybrid Tribunal’s Hybrid Legacy

Constrained by domestic politics and with its final verdict delivered, the ECCC's legacy – like its nature – is a hybrid one.
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