Analysis of International Humanitarian Law Governing the Use of Drones in Armed Conflicts (a case study of United States’ Drone Attacks)

Abstract

The use of drones in modern armed conflicts has raised several major controversies over the implementation of international humanitarian law including the lack of distinction between terrorists and civilians and the use of drones by some civilian institutions such as United States’ Central Intelligence Agency. Attributing international humanitarian law to the United States’ drone attacks against international terrorism following the 9/11 terrorist attacks has had different status in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia due to the nature of these armed conflicts. But there are common principles in all of these conflicts i.e. protecting civilians and distinguishing between combatants and non-combatants which has been breached in according with the international humanitarian law. The conclusion of this article is that in addition to the violations of international humanitarian law, particularly in the field of protection of civilians and the environment, the United States’ drone attacks couldn’t attain their alleged aims i.e. combating international terrorism but conversely have amounted to the growth of anti-Americanism and the incorporation of indigenous people in targeted areas to the terrorist groups, ,scattering terrorists in other countries such as Syria and ultimately the increasing tide of violence in the Middle East and the disruption of regional peace and security conflicting the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

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