Skip to main content
Home

Top Menu

  • ICRC.ORG
  • Contact
  • Customary IHL
  • National Implementation of IHL
  • Treaties, States Parties and Commentaries
  • Arabic
  • Chinese
  • English
  • French
  • Russian
  • Serbo-Croatian
  • Spanish

Order Book

  • Order Book

ICRC Navigation

The Law
  • General bibliography on IHL
  • Fundamentals of IHL
  • Principle of distinction
  • Combatants and POWs
  • Wounded, sick and shipwrecked
  • Civilian population
  • Conduct of hostilities
  • Naval warfare
  • Air warfare
  • Non-international armed conflict
  • Implementation mechanisms
  • State responsibility
  • Criminal repression
  • IHL and human rights
  • ICRC
  • IHL and Humanitarian Assistance
THE PRACTICE
Topics
  • Armed groups
  • Applicability of IHL
  • Combatants and POWs
  • Medical personnel, facilities and transports
  • Wounded, sick and shipwrecked
  • Civilian population
  • Civilian objects
  • Occupation
  • Conduct of hostilities
  • Naval and air warfare
  • Non-international armed conflict
  • Implementation mechanisms
  • State responsibility
  • Criminal repression
  • IHL and human rights
  • Humanitarian assistance
Regions
  • Africa
  • The Americas
  • Asia and The Pacific
  • Europe and Central Asia
  • Middle East
General Documents
  • General Statements on International Humanitarian Law
  • Chronology of Cases and Documents Relating to Past and Contemporary Conflicts
  • IHL in Action
Pedagogical resources
  • Pedagogical resources
  • Developing Stand Alone IHL Courses
  • Integrating IHL into Other Courses
  • Your contribution
  • Other Teaching Resources
A to Z
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
About
  • About this website
  • About the authors
  • Acknowledgments and thanks
  • Disclaimer and copyright
  • Feedback
  • Site map
  • Privacy Policy

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. A To Z
  3. Recognition of Belligerency

Recognition of belligerency

GENERAL DISCLAIMER

“How does law protect in war?” promotes practice-based IHL teaching.
Its contents are developed in partnership with academia and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ICRC.
By continuing on this website, you agree to its terms and conditions.

Recognition of belligerency by the government side implies that the major part of international humanitarian law becomes applicable to a non-international armed conflict.

OUTLINE

Chapter 12, III. 5. a) recognition of belligerency by the government

CASES

United States, The Prize Cases

Nigeria, Operational Code of Conduct

Colombia, Constitutional Conformity of Protocol II (Paras. 14 and 15)

Philippines, Application of IHL by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines

Germany: Ramstein Air Base's Role in Drone Attacks

US, Combatant Immunity and Recognition of belligerency

The Law

  • General bibliography on IHL
  • Fundamentals of IHL
  • Principle of distinction
  • Combatants and POWs
  • Wounded, sick and shipwrecked
  • Civilian population
  • Conduct of hostilities
  • Naval warfare
  • Air warfare
  • Non-international armed conflict
  • Implementation mechanisms
  • State responsibility
  • Criminal repression
  • IHL and human rights
  • ICRC
  • IHL and Humanitarian Assistance

The Practice

  • By topics
  • By Region
  • General Documents

Pedagogical resources

  • Pedagogical resources
  • Developing Stand Alone IHL Courses
  • Integrating IHL into Other Courses
  • Your contribution
  • Other Teaching Resources

About the site

  • About this website
  • About the authors
  • Acknowledgments and thanks
  • Disclaimer and copyright
  • Feedback
  • Site map
  • Privacy Policy

Follow the ICRC:

  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Youtube

Useful links

  • Learning & Teaching IHL
  • ICRC Training Center
  • Law and Policy Platform
  • International Review of the Red Cross
  • Library and research services
  • War and international humanitarian law
  • Humanitarian Law and Policy Blog
ICRC
Copyright 2025

Subscribe to ICRC Law & policy Newsletter