About the author(s):
Katharine Fortin is an Associate Professor at Utrecht University where she teaches IHL and IHRL. Before joining Utrecht University, she worked at the ICTY, ICC and Norton Rose Fulbright. She is the author of The Accountability of Armed Groups under Human Rights Law (Oxford University Press, 2017) which won the 2018 Lieber Prize. She has written widely about the framework of law that applies to armed groups in non-international armed conflicts and is one of the editors of the Armed Groups and International Law blog.
Colombian peacetalks on hold after general is snatched.
OHCHR: Rule of Terror: Living under ISIS in Syria.
ICRC’s president seeks broader humanitarian role for the organisation in Syria.
Islamic State boasts influx of new recruits in new beheadings video.
UK to seize returning fighters passports.
Any lessons from Operation Lifeline Sudan?
Missing persons commission set up in Sri Lanka to look at the following (see extract from public notice below):
A. In this connection, the Commission is hereby required to investigate and report on the following specific issues:
The principle facts and circumstances that led to the loss of civilian life during the internal armed conflict that ended on the 19th May 2009, and whether any person, group or institution directly or indirectly bears responsibility in this regard by reason of a violation or violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law. Whether such loss of Civilian life is capable of constituting collateral damage of a kind that occurs in the prosecution of proportionate attacks against targeted military objectives in armed conflicts and is expressly recognized under the laws of armed conflict and international humanitarian law, and whether such civilian casualties were either the deliberate or unintended consequence of the rules of engagement during the said armed conflict in Sri Lanka.
The adherence to or neglect of the principles of distinction, military necessity and proportionality under the laws of armed conflict and international humanitarian law, by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
Whether the LTTE as a non-state actor was subject to international humanitarian law in the conduct of its military operations.
The use by the LTTE of civilians as human shields and the extent to which such action constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law or international human rights law, and did or may have significantly contributed to the loss of civilian life.
B. The recruitment of child soldiers by the LTTE or illegal armed groups-affiliated with the LTTE or any political party in violation of international humanitarian law or international human rights law.
C. International criminal activities of the LTTE and the application of financial and other resources obtained through such illegal activities in the prosecution of the conventional and guerilla war in Sri Lanka by the LTTE.
D. The suicide attacks by LTTE using child soldiers and other combatants under the direct orders of the leader of the LTTE, Velupillai Prabhakaran or any persons acting on his behalf, and the culpability for such actions under the international humanitarian law or international human rights law.
It is stated that the Commission will accept complaints of incidents that occurred up to 19th May 2009 as set out in section 4.359 of the LLRC report.
Ukraine to close state offices, bank services in rebel held east.