International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
720 Articles
The Al-Qurayshi Operation and Minimization of Civilian Casualties
US officials’ emphasis on minimization of civilian casualties in an operation against such a high value target deserves special attention.
A Rare Public Wake-Up Call from the ICRC on Guantanamo Transfers
An exceedingly rare public statement by the ICRC calls on the Biden administration to get serious about Guantanamo transfers.
Civilian Casualties in U.S. Air Wars: A Wake-up Call for Canada and its Future Use of Armed Drones?
Last month’s New York Times report that the American air wars in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan have been plagued by flawed intelligence, poor targeting, and thousands of civilian…
Amid Civilian Harm Revelations, Defense Bill Takes Measured Steps on Oversight and Accountability
Recent months have seen a flood of revelations concerning civilian harm resulting from U.S. military operations. The last U.S. airstrike of the war in Afghanistan, which killed…
The Use of Biometric Technologies for Counter-terrorism Purposes in a Human Rights Vacuum
CTED's "best practices" on biometrics miss a key dimension: international human rights law guidance.
America Needs a War on Terror Transparency Act
The Pentagon has three months to investigate the disturbing New York Times report that the military conducted and covered up airstrikes in Baghuz, Syria that killed up to 64 civilians.…
Preliminary but Necessary: The Question of the Applicability of the Notion of Apartheid to Occupied Territory
Does the prohibition of apartheid apply to occupied territory? Marco Longobardo analyzes how laws of war, human rights, occupation, and against racial discrimination intersect.…
Tragic Mistakes: Breaking the Military Culture of Impunity
How framing civilian harm in U.S. military operations -- as a “tragic mistake” -- hides the systemic failure that requires institutional reform.
Centcom’s Full Statement on Baghuz Strike: Annotated
Our co-editor-in-chief identifies and annotates the 20 most significant elements of Centcom's statement.
Questions on the Baghuz Strikes
A list of specific questions for members of Congress, reporters, and investigators to ask about the strike.
Uncertain Future for the ICC’s Investigation into the CIA Torture Program
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has "deprioritized" investigation of CIA torture in Afghanistan. But Julian Elderfield, a former attorney in the OTP, says the stated reasons for…
Reexamining the Fundamentals of the Drone Program After the Kabul Strike
"There are certainly unique circumstances to the Kabul strike, but if we miss the bigger lessons, we only invite further tragedy. "