International Humanitarian Law

International humanitarian law (IHL), also known as the laws of armed conflict, is the law that regulates the conduct of war. It is inspired by considerations of humanity and the mitigation of human suffering, and is established by treaty or custom to protect persons and property affected by armed conflict. The law comprises a set of rules that limit the effects of armed conflict and restrict the means and methods of warfare available to combatants. IHL defines the conduct and responsibilities of belligerent nations, neutral nations, and individuals engaged in warfare, in relation to each other and to protected persons. Serious violations of IHL are called war crimes. IHL operates on a strict division between rules applicable in international armed conflict and internal armed conflict. It is traditionally seen as distinct from international human rights law, although the two branches of law are complementary and in some ways overlap.learn more on wikipedia