Trying to Make Sense of the Senseless: Classifying the Syrian War Under the Law of Armed Conflict
25 Michigan State International Law Review 556 (2017)
40 Pages Posted: 24 Aug 2017
Date Written: August 21, 2017
Abstract
In hopes of promoting both humanity and accountability this article intends on answering the question: what type of conflict is taking place in Syria? To conduct this analysis it is important to understand the political history of Syria and thus the article begins with a brief historical background section. Sections on the various state and non-state actors battling within Syria as well as a general overview of how conflicts are classified under international law follows. The article concludes with a classification determination for the Syrian hostilities and a reminder that all parties to the conflicts are obligated to comply with the law of armed conflict.
Keywords: Syria, Russia, Law of Armed Conflict, IHL, conflict classification, Non-international armed conflict, international armed conflict, NIAC, IAC, Common Article 3, Common Article 2, Geneva Conventions, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Syrian Democratic Forces, Kurds, transnational armed groups
JEL Classification: K33
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation