International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
648 Articles
Niger Facing Pressure to Ensure U.S. and French Drone Strikes Comply with Human Rights Law
Thanks to the diligent work of journalists, Just Security readers probably know by now that the United States has a squadron of armed drones based in the West African nation of…
Condolence Payments for Civilian Casualties: Lessons for Applying the New NDAA
The new National Defense Authorization Act can help improve the way the U.S. responds to civilian casualties. FOIA requests and interviews with DoD officials, U.S. soldiers, judge…
US Military Admits It Killed Dozens More Civilians Than Previously Acknowledged. Now What?
In June and July, the US-led Coalition of countries fighting the armed group calling itself the Islamic State admitted that reports of civilian casualties it had previously dismissed…
Precision and Civilian Casualties: Policymakers Believe Drones Can Be Precise. That May Not Be Enough.
What do policymakers’ own views of drones – particularly as they relate to civilian casualties – reflect, and how do those views affect policymaking?
Two Important New Civilian Casualties Provisions in the Defense Authorization Bill
Draft text of the annual defense authorization bill contains two important provisions related to civilian casualties resulting from U.S. military operations.
Overdue US Admission that Civilians Were Killed in Syria Strike Is Still Insufficient
It finally admitted to it. After months of denying that any civilians died, the United States-led coalition in Syria has finally recognized that its strike on a boarding school…
The Department of Defense’s Report on Civilian Casualties: A Step Forward in Transparency?
While the Pentagon's new report on civilian casualties is a step in the right direction, future DoD reports should include more detail on specific incidents, including discrepancies…
Does the U.S. “Deliberately Misinterpret” the Laws of War?–A Response to Gabor Rona
I recently wrote about problems in the Pentagon’s procedures for post-strike civilian casualty assessments in places like Iraq and Syria. Gabor Rona’s letter-to-the-editor,…
Letter to the Editor: Much More Iceberg Below the Surface on Civilian Casualties
[Editor’s note: Ryan Goodman responds to Gabor Rona in a follow-on piece.] Ryan Goodman makes a compelling case that the United States undercounts its civilian casualties.…
AI-4-Good in War
The United Nations campaign entitled #AI4good highlights positive ways artificial intelligence (AI) can be used for the good of humanity. The #AI4Good Summit in Geneva this week…
AI, Law of Armed Conflict, and “Liminal” Conflict Among Technological Peer Great Powers
Above: People look at drones the Ukrainian government claims it recovered in eastern Ukraine that prove direct Russian involvement in the fighting between Ukrainian troops and…
Navigating the Terrain at the Intersection of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
This article is the latest in our Fog of Law series that examines the gray zones in international law and conflict that can be exploited by states. The series comes in advance…