Civilian Harm

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Defaced portraits of Syria's ousted president Bashar al-Assad (L) and his late father Hafez al-Assad (C) hang on a wall in the capital Damascus on June 2, 2025.

Not Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Historical Commissions Are Crucial for Syria

Transitional justice approaches in Syria must not isolate periods of oppression from the broader contexts that enabled them.
Rubio, in a dark suit, talks to al-Otaiba, in a traditional white Arab robe and head covering, as the two walk away from the camera toward what appears to be the arched outlines of a modern building. Rubio has his left hand on al-Otaiba's right shoulder in a friendly manner.

U.S., U.K. Won’t Stop UAE’s Support to Sudan’s RSF by Tiptoeing Around It

Governments and the private sector need to find the courage to apply reputational pressure on the UAE for supporting a force the U.S. cites for genocide in Sudan.
This photograph shows smoke rising above buildings following an air attack in Kharkiv on June 10, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Beyond the Vanishing Point? What the Destruction of Civilian Infrastructure in Armed Conflicts Reveals about the State and the Role of IHL Today

There is a widening gap between international humanitarian law and the realities of civilians affected by armed conflicts.
Smoke and fire rises from the Dormition Cathedral in the Orthodox complex of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra following a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on June 15, 2026, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

The Law of Armed Conflict and the Attack on Kyiv’s Monastery of the Caves and Dormition Cathedral

The strike illustrates a grim pattern in Russia’s conduct of the war – the systematic destruction of Ukrainian religious and cultural sites.
A view of Daba Naira camp from a Solidarités International water tower as the sun sets over Tawila in North Darfur on February 22, 2026.

Sudan Has Become a Transnational Marketplace of Violence: Effective Responses Require Targeting the Sources

The most consequential drivers of the war in Sudan are foreign states, private military contractors, and transnational criminal networks.

Making Syria’s Transitional Justice Process Meaningful for Survivors and Communities

One of the central questions facing Syria is whether its emerging justice system can earn the trust of those in whose name it is being built.
Senegalese peacekeepers of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) patrol near Carnot on May 28, 2026.

US-Central African Republic Deportation Agreement Escalates Attack on Immigrants and Puts Lives at Risk

Congress should demand transparency and require the U.S. government to publicly release third-country deportation agreements, including with the Central African Republic. 
Fans fill the stands at the top and bottom of the image, watching a basketball game on the light-colored wood of the basketball court in the center, which is emblazoned with the NBA logo and "Abu Dhabi Games 2023."

The NBA’s Genocide Problem

The NBA’s partnership with the United Arab Emirates is laundering the reputation of a regime that supports a militia responsible for ​committing genocide in Sudan.
Hegseth is seen in the foreground, walking by a wooden dias where members of the Senate Appropriations Committee are standing and sitting in a wood-paneled room.

Congress Can Act Now on U.S. DoD Inspector’s Report Revealing Violations of Civilian Harm Policy and Law

A Defense Department Inspector General report shows the Pentagon’s failure to prioritize congressionally mandated civilian protection mechanisms amid U.S. military action.
Eight F/A-18E/F Super Hornets in the sky

International Accountability for U.S. Crimes in the Caribbean and Pacific

If no one acts, U.S. crimes in the Caribbean and Pacific will embolden other bad actors and encourage more violations of international law.

The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas Part V

Tess Bridgeman and Rachel Goldbrenner are joined by Rebecca Ingber and Brian Finucane to examine escalating U.S. strikes on suspected drug traffickers.
A man stands in front of a window in daylight, reaching up to check equipment hanging from a ceiling over a gurney-like hospital bed in a damaged room of a maternity hospital. Shattered glass on the floor at the foot of the gurney reflects the light coming through the window.

How the Law of War Can Reckon with Longer-Term Harms of Attacks on Health

When war affects complex and interconnected civilian systems, the full measure of civilian harm lies in what comes after the blast.
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