Combatant facts for kids

A combatant is a person who takes part in fighting during a war or armed conflict. These individuals are protected by special rules called the Geneva Conventions. This protection applies as long as they follow the rules of war themselves.

What is a Combatant?

A combatant is someone who is officially part of an army, navy, air force, or other organized fighting group. Their main job is to fight for their side in a conflict. They are different from civilians, who are people not involved in the fighting.

Who Counts as a Combatant?

The rules of war, found in the Geneva Conventions, explain who is a combatant. This includes:

• Members of a country's armed forces.
• Members of militias or volunteer groups, if they meet certain conditions. These conditions include having a clear leader, wearing a uniform or emblem, carrying their weapons openly, and following the laws of war.
• People who rise up to defend their country from an invasion, even if they haven't formed an organized group yet.

Why are Combatants Important?

Combatants are important because they are the ones directly involved in battles. The rules of war exist to try and make conflicts less cruel, even for those fighting. These rules aim to protect combatants if they are captured or wounded.

Rules for Combatants

Combatants must follow the rules of international law during a conflict. These rules are often called the "laws of war" or "international humanitarian law."

What are the Laws of War?

The laws of war are a set of rules that try to limit the effects of armed conflict. They protect people who are not fighting, like civilians, and those who can no longer fight, like wounded soldiers or prisoners of war.

• Protecting Civilians: Combatants must always try to avoid harming civilians or civilian buildings.
• Treating Prisoners: If a combatant captures an enemy, they must treat them humanely. Prisoners of war have specific rights.
• Using Weapons: Combatants can only use weapons that are allowed by international law. They cannot use weapons that cause unnecessary suffering.

The Geneva Conventions

The Geneva Conventions are a series of treaties that set out these important rules. They were created after many wars to try and make conflicts more humane. They protect:

• Wounded and sick soldiers on land.
• Wounded, sick, and shipwrecked members of armed forces at sea.
• Prisoners of war.
• Civilians during wartime.

Protection for Combatants

If combatants follow the rules of war, they receive certain protections. For example, if they are captured, they become prisoners of war (POWs).

Rights of Prisoners of War

Prisoners of war have specific rights under the Geneva Conventions. These rights include:

• Being treated humanely.
• Receiving food, shelter, and medical care.
• Not being tortured or mistreated.
• Being allowed to communicate with their families.
• Being released when the conflict ends.

Losing Protection

A person can lose their combatant protection if they do not follow the rules of war. For example, if a combatant pretends to be a civilian to attack an enemy, they might be considered an "unlawful combatant." This means they might not receive the same protections as a prisoner of war if captured.

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