An asymmetric conflict is characterized by the imbalance between the military capacity of the warring parties (e.g. in terms of weapon technology, equipment, intelligence information and  number of troops).  

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Suggested readings:

BENVENISTI Eyal, “The Legal Battle to Define the Law on Transnational Asymmetric Warfare”, in Duke Journal of Comparative and International Law, Vol. 20, No. 3, 2010, pp. 339-359   COURMONT Barthélémy & RIBNIKAR Darko, Les guerres asymétriques: conflits d’hier et d’aujourd’hui, terrorisme et nouvelles menaces, Paris, Dalloz, 2nd ed., 2009, 427 pp.   GEISS Robin, “Asymmetric Conflict Structures”, in IRRC, Vol. 88, No. 864, December 2006, pp. 757-777   GROSS Michael L., “Asymmetric War, Symmetrical Intentions: Killing Civilians in Modern Armed Conflict”, in Global Crime, Vol. 10, No. 4, November 2009, pp. 320-336   HEINTZE Hans-Joachim, “Terrorism and Asymmetrical Conflicts: a Role for the Martens Clause?”, in GIEGERICH Thomas (ed.), A Wiser Century?: Judicial Dispute Settlement, Disarmament and the Laws of War 100 Years After the Second Hague Peace Conference, Berlin, Duncker and Humblot, 2009, pp. 429-434   KNOOPS Geert-Jan Alexander, “The Duality of the Proportionality Principle within Asymmetric Warfare and Ensuing Superior Criminal Responsibilities”, in International Criminal Law Review, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2009, pp. 501-529   LAVOY Peter, Asymmetric Warfare in South Asia: the Causes and Consequences of the Kargil Conflict, Cambridge, CUP, 2009, 407 pp.   PAULUS Andreas & VASHAKMADZE Mindia, “Asymmetrical War and the Notion of Armed Conflict: a Tentative of Conceptualization”, in IRRC, Vol. 91, No. 873, March 2009, pp. 95-125.   PFANNER Toni, “Asymmetrical Warfare from the Perspective of Humanitarian Law and Humanitarian Action”, in IRRC, No. 857, March 2005, pp. 149-174   ROGERS Anthony P. V., “Unequal Combat and the Law of War”, in YIHL, Vol. 7 (2004), 2006, pp. 3-34.   SCHMITT Michael N., “Asymmetrical Warfare and International Humanitarian Law”, in The Air Force Law Review, Vol. 62, 2008, pp. 1-42   SCHRÖFL Josef, COX Sean Michael & PANKRATZ Thomas (eds), Winning the Asymmetric War: Political, Social and Military Responses, Frankfurt am Main, P. Lang, 2009, 366 pp.   VAN BAARDA Ted, VERWEIJ Désiree, The Moral Dimension of Asymmetrical Warfare: Counter-Terrorism, Democratic Values and Military Ethics, Leiden, Boston, M. Nijhoff, 2009, 529 pp.