Table of Contents
Is shooting a surrendering soldier a war crime?
– to fire at, injure or kill an enemy who surrenders or who is captured or with whom a suspension of combat has been concluded; The manual also states that “killing or wounding an enemy who, having laid down his arms or no longer having a means of defence, has surrendered” constitutes a war crime.
What happens if a civilian hits a soldier?
If a civilian in a warzone hits a soldier they become a combatant, thus are considered an enemy. So anything from getting killed on the spot, to being black bagged and put into a small plywood box.
When can combatants be targeted?
Combatants may be targeted wherever found, armed or un- armed, awake or asleep, on a front line or a mile or a hundred miles behind the lines, “whether in the zone of hostilities, occupied terri- tory, or elsewhere.”14 Combatants can withdraw from hostilities only by retiring and becoming civilians, by be- coming hors …
Can you shoot a surrendering enemy?
The US Air Force Pamphlet (1976) provides: “The law of armed conflict clearly forbids the killing or wounding of an enemy who, in good faith, surrenders.” United States, Air Force Pamphlet 110-31, International Law – The Conduct of Armed Conflict and Air Operations, US Department of the Air Force, 1976, § 4-2(d).
Are child soldiers considered combatants?
The proliferation of child soldiers has raised a number of troubling questions for the laws of war. These children are also “combatants” under international law and like all combatants they lose the many protections afforded civilians.
What is rendulic rule?
4 The Rendulic Rule is the standard by which commanders are judged today. Plainly stated, the rule stands for the proposition that a commander’s liability is based on the information reasonably available at the time of the commander’s decision.
Would you shoot at the enemy soldiers to defend yourself?
If the enemy soldiers are coming to kill all the males and rape all the females then legalities be damned, defend yourself. If the enemy soldiers find you they will kill you whether or not you have shot at them.
Is it illegal for the military to shoot civilians in combat?
Yes, it is illegal, and has been so for a long time. Ever since the first glimmers of rules and conventions of war, armies have traditionally treated civilians caught in arms as Unlawful Combatants and dealt with them more harshly than, and without the honors and protections extended to, captured enemy soldiers in uniform.
Is it legal for a civilian to attack an occupying force?
Yes, it is. If you, as a civilian, attack an occupying force, you are what is known as a partisan. Civilians and prisoners of war are protected by lots of laws in modern war, but partisans are not.
When can you legally use deadly force to defend yourself?
[1.] In all states, you can use deadly force to defend yourself against death, serious bodily injury (which can include broken bones and perhaps even lost teeth), rape, or kidnapping, so long as (a) your fear is reasonable and (b) the danger is imminent (requirements that also apply to the doctrines I discuss below).