Reference :
V-F-CR-F-04238-A
Date :
24/07/2025
Title :
Defining armed conflict: Why classification matters for international humanitarian law.
Duration :
00:02:35
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Commissioned production company :
LakeProd
ICRC producer :
FELL, Nicola Eva
Description :
Cordula Droege, ICRC Head of the Legal Division, explains that classifying conflicts is not merely a theoretical exercise.
International humanitarian law, also known as the rules of war, seeks to limit suffering during wars. However what level and what type of violence amounts to a war, or as we say legally an armed conflict?
To understand when international humanitarian law applies, we need to know if a situation is an armed conflict.
This is crucial for all warring parties - whether they are state military or non-state armed groups, such as an armed opposition.
It is their responsibility to understand their legal obligations and spare civilians from the fighting.
For instance, under international humanitarian law, parties to an armed conflict have the obligation to:
Firstly, limit how wars are fought and with which weapons so as to reduce as much as possible the suffering of both civilians and fighters.
Secondly, treat humanely all people detained in relation to the war.
And thirdly, allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need.
How is “armed conflict” defined in international humanitarian law?
There are only two types of Armed conflicts: International and Non-International.
An International Armed Conflict involves two or more states.
It is triggered by any use of armed force between states, regardless of intensity, duration or the number of soldiers involved.
Non-International Armed Conflicts, commonly referred to as civil wars, are conflicts between government armed forces and non-state armed groups or solely between non-state armed groups.
They are more complicated to classify legally. Two main criteria must be met:
1. First, the warring parties must be organized – which depends on factors like having a command structure.
2. Second, the violence must be sufficiently intense – this means the number of armed confrontations, the type of weapons used, and the number of casualties.
Most rules apply to both types of conflict.
However, some rules, such as the treatment of prisoners of war, apply only to international conflicts.
Defining a situation as an armed conflict does not legitimize a war.
Political or other motivations play no role in the classification of armed conflicts. It simply serves the humanitarian objective to limit suffering
Colour/B&W :
colour
SD/HD :
HD
Resolution :
1920 x 1080
Aspect ratio :
16/9
Original material/format :
H264
Best material/format available :
ProRes 422
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