AN EXAMINATION OF THE HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS IN THE BOMBARDMENT OF MILITARY TARGETS AND OBJECTIVES.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53704/3qpwqc27Keywords:
Humanitarian Considerations, Military objectives, Civilians, Civilian objects, Bombardments, Military Targets.Abstract
This paper examined the relationship between International Humanitarian law, military targeting practice and the concept of military objectives. The study of the history of warfare over the years has established the undeniable fact that certain objects and persons may be legitimately attacked during armed conflicts, hence, the need to always determine whether a group of people are lawful military targets. It is very important for the military to be able to interpret the definition of military objective adopted in the 1977 Additional Protocol 1 to the four 1949 Geneva Conventions. Also, the military must understand and be able to apply some of the humanitarian considerations this paper discussed.
This paper is doctrinal in nature. The research methodology adopted is the Library Research Method. This study relies both on primary and secondary sources of information. The primary sources used include laws and cases while the secondary sources of information used include books, journals, news articles and materials from the internet.
This study found that the concept of targeting and military objective raises some problematic issues which can only be mitigated or solved through the implementation of humanitarian considerations in the bombardment of military targets.
This study concluded that many operators or military men whose job it is to plan, approve and execute attacks still do their job in a manner that is inconsistent with international humanitarian considerations, wrecking great havocs, and leading to a flagrant disregard of international humanitarian law. This is totally unacceptable.
References
REFERENCES
BOOKS
1. Dr. Abdul G. Koroma, Customary International Humanitarian Law, Volume 1, Rules, Forward, International Community of the Red Cross, Cambridge University Press, the Edinburg Building, Cambridge, 2005.
2. Jakob Kellenberger, Customary International Humanitarian Law, Volume 1, Rules, Forward, International Community of the Red Cross, Cambridge University Press, the Edinburg Building, Cambridge, 2005.
3. Jean-Marie Henckaerts, Louise Doswald-Beck, Carolin Alvermann, Knut D¨ormann and Baptiste Rolle, Customary International Humanitarian Law, Volume 1, Rules, International Community of the Red Cross, Cambridge University Press, the Edinburg Building, Cambridge, 2005, pp.76.
4. Yoram Distein,” Legitimate Military Objectives under the current Jus in bello”, International Law studies, Volume 78, Legal and Ethical Lessons of NATO’S Kosovo campaign, edited by Andru E. Wall, pp. 8.
ARTICLES
1. International Humanitarian Law and the challenges of contemporary armed conflicts: recommitting to protection in armed conflict on the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, ICRC, pp 18-19
2. Yoram Dinstein, “Legitimate Military Objectives under the current jus in bello”, International Law Studies, Volume 78. Legal and Ethical Lessons of NATO’s Kosovo Campaign
REPORTS
1. Advisory Opinion on Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons, 1996 I.C.J. Reports 226, 257 (July 8).
2. UN Commission on Human Rights, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Former Yugoslavia, Report.
3. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Report on systematic rape, sexual slavery and slavery-like practices during armed conflicts.
4. OSCE, Kosovo/Kosova, as seen as told, An analysis of the human rights findings of the OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission.
5. Cairo Declaration, Sections 68–69, and Cairo Plan of Action, Section 82, both adopted at the Africa-Europe Summit held under the Aegis of the Organization of African Unity and the European Union, 3–4 April 2000.
6. Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, May 14, 1954.
ONLINE MATERIALS
1. Agnieszka Jachec-Neale, “The Concept of Military Objectives in International law and targeting practice”, ISBN 9781138242708, Routledge, 2016. https://www.routledge.com/The-Concept-of-Millitary-Objectives viewed on 3rd of June, 2021.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Toluwani Francis
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