International humanitarian law (IHL) governs armed conflicts and seeks to limit their effects on persons and objects. Understanding IHL requires familiarity with how conflicts are classified, what protections exist for civilians and other persons who are not or are no longer participating in the hostilities, and how means and methods of warfare are restricted.
The Legal Explainers section provides accessible overviews of key IHL rules and notions in two areas:
Conflict Classification explains the different types of armed conflicts under IHL – international armed conflicts, non-international armed conflicts, and military occupation. Understanding how a conflict is classified matters because different IHL rules apply depending on the type of conflict.
Civilian Harm covers the main rules designed to protect civilians and civilian objects during an armed conflict. These include the fundamental rules on the conduct of hostilities, restrictions on means and methods of warfare, special protections, and the prohibitions of torture, arbitrary detention, sexual violence, and other serious violations against the persons in the hands of the enemy.
These explainers are intended as introductions to complex legal topics that are essential for understanding the IHL analysis presented throughout the War Watch portal.