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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3,545 Articles
Russian President Vladimir Putin seen during the plenary session of the Commonwealth of the Independent States (CIS) Summit, on October 14, 2022 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The close-up shows his brows slightly furrowed and his left hand to his mouth in a serious thinking pose. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)

Addressing Putin’s Nuclear Threat: Thinking Like the Cold War KGB Officer That He Was

To assess if he will resort to such weapons, a former CIA officer considers three fundamentals that may guide the Russian leader's decisions.
A military drone replica is displayed in front of the White House during a protest against drone strikes on January 12, 2019 in Washington, DC.

The Biden Drone Playbook: The Elusive Promise of Restrained Counterterrorism

The new policy guidance on direct action is welcome, but more work is needed to fulfill the promise of restrained counterterrorism.
Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko sits at a table with military officials. There is a Belarusian flag behind them.

The Crime of Aggression: Putting Lukashenko and His Senior Officials on Notice

This week, as Russia intensified attacks on civilians in Ukraine, Belarus’s President Alexander Lukashenko doubled down on his support for Putin’s war of aggression. As Ryan…
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Extremist Ideologies and the Roots of Mass Atrocities: Lessons for Ukraine

Mass atrocities consistently depend on justificatory narratives rooted in prevailing ideological worldviews and institutions.
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…
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