Civilian Casualties Research Articles

The Gaza Horror and US Policy

In responding to Hamas’s devastating 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, the United States has two strategic interests: a geopolitical interest in preventing the conflict from widening; and a reputational interest in forestalling an even worse humanitarian catastrophe. Although the Biden administration has not questioned whether Israel should act decisively, it has counselled caution and deliberation to buy time for hostage negotiations and to minimise civilian casualties while deploying US military assets to deter Iran and Hizbullah from directly initiating hostilities against Israel. The unprecedented horror of the attack makes the argument for Israeli restraint more difficult to make, but questions will undoubtedly arise as to how the US can move Israel away from a maximally aggressive posture to preserve its bona fides with the rest of the world, including some American voters. The US would best cast the crisis as an urgent prompt to a more agreeable future based on an affirmative, multilateral plan.

Fighting in Cities: Problems of International Legal Protection of Civilians and Civilian Objects

INTRODUCTION. Fighting is increasingly taking place in populated areas, including large cities, which leads to indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian objects. This problem is recognized by the UN, by an increasing number of States and requires training of combatants to choose and apply appropriate means and methods of war in populated areas to prevent or minimize accidental harm to the civilian population and civilian objects in such conditions. However, for example, the actions of the US-led coalition in 20162017 to liberate Iraqi Mosul from terrorists, the armed formations of Ukraine in the Donbas since 2014, which caused unjustifiably large civilian casualties and destruction of urban infrastructure, indicate that the Western powers and their satellites ignored these requirements.The purpose of the article is to identify and scientifically analyze problematic issues in the application of international humanitarian law for the protection of civilians and civilian objects in armed conflicts in urbanized areas.MATERIALS AND METHODS. To reveal the theoretical aspects of the problem under consideration, a system-structural approach, generalization, deduction, methods of scientific abstraction, logical and system analysis are applied. Special research methods were also used: historical-legal, comparative-legal and formal-legal.RESEAECH RESULTS. Within the framework of this publication, the authors analyzed the problems of international legal protection of civilians and civilian objects in the context of hostilities in an urbanized area and developed proposals for their solution.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. According to the results of the study, it was found that the principles and norms of international law developed by mankind as a whole make it possible to ensure the protection of the civilian population and civilian objects during the conduct of hostilities, including in cities, under the key condition the realization of responsibility for crimes against peace, humanity and war crimes.

Issues of preservation and restoration of historical monuments in the occupied territories

ABSTRACT War always results in civilian casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure, architectural monuments and historic buildings. Systematic analysis of the current situation of historic sites in the occupied territories reveals fundamental problems and unresolved issues in preserving the heritage of areas that are not under the control of the Kyiv government. There are shortcomings in the regulatory framework of legal status, protection and preservation, as well as violations in the occupied territories. The activities ofvarious countries in determining the status of historical monuments are reviewed. Positive and negative aspects of the policy of protection and restoration of cultural heritage objects are outlined, and practical recommendations are made for improving the protection of historical monuments in the occupied territories.

ASEAN Member States Responses to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Abstract: The military aggression that occurred on February 24, 2022, triggered a global crisis that certainly impacted the Southeast Asian region in various fields such as economics, politics, and security. ASEAN as an international organization in the region has made a statement to seek peaceful dialogue and urge a ceasefire so that military aggression in Ukraine can find a peaceful way and reduce civilian casualties and losses. Purpose: To find out the response of ASEAN members to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. Design/Methodology/Approach: Data was collected through a literature study of previous works and official documentation from ASEAN and its member states. From this research, it can be seen how each ASEAN member country responds to Russia's military aggression invasion of Ukraine. In addition, this research also comparatively describes the responses of the ASEAN members. Findings: The comparison of ASEAN member states responses to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine varies. Some condemned the military aggression such as Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Some only did not respond or were neutral such as Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Some support the military aggression, such as Myanmar. The difference in response is due to the national political interests of each country. Originality/Value: This study focuses on ASEAN member countries that responded to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, so the author believes that no one has studied with the same focus as this research.

GAZA’S DILEMMA: ANALYSIS AND REEXAMINING: THE CREDIBILITY OF INTERNATIONAL LAWS

Al Nakba (catastrophe), the declaration of independence of Israel that led to the mass displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinian, still haunts them today. Currently, some courses of actions have been changed in a more intensifying and a brutal way which reflects the more pugnacious behavior of settler colonial apartheid (Israel). Israel-Palestine conflict is the conquest for identity, integrity, and sovereignty. Their history is plagued by several key events that led to further augmentation of the bone of contention between them. This conflict has always been the focus of attention due to humanitarian catastrophe. Many major stakeholders have played their dysfunctional but pivotal role in this conflict. In the current crisis, most of the major stakeholders were seen as just sitting on the fence. This conflict gave birth to several militant organizations, fundamentalism, and traumatized elements on both sides as every confrontation not just include the combatant casualties but civilian casualties as well. This research paper’s foremost intent is to examine the intricacies and perpetuality in this conflict as both entities consider each other as mortal threat. This research paper will also reexamine the credibility of international laws and organization in this dilemma, most probably in current Gaza’s dilemma. Through the analytical lens, this paper will scrutinize the intertwined complexities, which hinders the profound implementation of international norms and principles to cure this unwavering dilemma.

Epidemiology of traumatically injured Yemeni civilians treated at the Omani National Trauma Centre over a 2-year period: a retrospective cohort study

IntroductionArmed conflict is a growing global cause of death, posing a significant threat to the resilience of global health systems. However, the burden of disease resulting from the Yemeni Civil...

From adversity to advancement: leveraging war-tested approaches for the post-conflict reformation of the Ukrainian healthcare landscape.

The Russo-Ukrainian Conflict has had significant repercussions on Ukraine's healthcare system, resulting in civilian casualties and damage to healthcare institutions. The disruption of personnel, medical supplies, and patient transportation has created considerable challenges for healthcare services. However, there are successful approaches from comparable contexts that can serve as a catalyst for post-conflict healthcare reformation in Ukraine. Key strategies include improving healthcare accessibility for marginalized populations through standardized essential health and surgical care packages, rehabilitating damaged facilities, strengthening primary care provisions, and supporting war survivors with disabilities. By adopting these proven practices, Ukraine can strengthen its healthcare system and facilitate a sustainable recovery, contributing to the country's resilience and ensuring essential healthcare services for its population.

The Human Costs of the War on Drugs. Attitudes Towards Militarization of Security in Mexico

Citizens in multiple crime-ridden countries strongly support the militarization of security—that is, placing the military in charge of traditional policing duties. Yet, we know little about the determinants of such support. Do people approve of militarization even in the face of human fatalities? We explore this question in the context of Mexico’s “war on drugs.” In three experimental studies, we manipulate the presence of human costs in a military operation against a drug lord and present arguments either justifying or condemning these costs. We consistently find that, even in successful operations, support for militarization decreases when military operations cause civilian casualties, but not when the victims are members of drug cartels. This finding holds for both respondents who have been victims of cartel-related violence and those who have not. Arguments that justify these costs as helping to achieve the end goal of eradicating organized crime increase support. These findings shed light on the public opinion side of the militarization of security debate, and have important implications for security policy reform and democratic politics.

Midnight’s victims

ABSTRACT The last US drone strike during its occupation of Afghanistan took place in Kabul on 29 August 2021. The target was identified as an Islamic State–Khorosan (ISIS-K) cell preparing to attack Hamid Karzai International Airport while the United States and its allies conducted a large-scale non-combatant evacuation and the Taliban advanced into the capital. Although the strike was the culmination of intensive aerial surveillance, it killed only innocent civilians. In comparing the official account of events provided by the Pentagon to explain the catastrophic mistake with an alternative narrative established by investigative reporters, it becomes clear that the strike was prompted by a performative series of assumptions and inferences that fastened on every observed action as suspicious and ultimately hostile. A further comparison with a US airstrike in Uruzgan on 21 February 2010 shows that this chain of misinterpretation and miscalculation has been a constant in civilian casualty incidents for many years. This prompts a series of reflections on the architecture of aerial violence and its implications for civilians caught up in the battlespaces of later modern war.

Review of Patterns of Experiences among Civilians in Conflict Zones

Objectives: This paper aims to explore the challenges that civilians encounter in conflict zones by reviewing some previous studies. It is beneficial to use previous studies and reports from international organizations and actors in the field of conflict management; the paper highlights the nature, impact, and experiences related to conflict and how these processes undermine the realization of basic human needs for survival among civilians. Methods: A content analysis was conducted to analyze several publications started from 2015 to 2018 by providing an examination of pertinent literature using a narrative framework and by incorporating pertinent terms and phrases to preserve the intricacies of a methodical process such as civilian experiences, conflict, combatants, military operations, and ISIS. Results:. The study results revealed that it is difficult to determine the exact number of civilians who are impacted by conflict. The results also exposed that there were victims from both parties combatants and civilians, yet, 70% of casualties were from civilians. Furthermore, civilian experiences were different from place to place and person to person. The Syrian context received the highest rating in terms of civilian casualties among the rest evaluated literature. The total casualties among civilians were 706 % in comparison to combatants, 294 %. Conclusions: The inability to protect civilians by the governments puts their fate in a critical situation, thus there is a need for international cooperation.

Beyond Collateral Damage: The Politics of Civilian Victimization in a Civil War

Abstract Under what conditions do states pursue counterinsurgency measures with little disregard for civilian life? This article argues that the states have an incentive to engage in group-selective violence involving disproportionate force when facing a local population sympathetic to an armed insurgent organization. Such a military strategy allows the state to punish the local population while claiming that civilian casualties are an unintended consequence of its counterinsurgency campaign. Using a nuanced measurement of civilian victimization that transcendences the dichotomous distinction between intentional and unintentional killings, this study focuses on the Kurdish conflict in Turkey. The empirical analyses, based on an original violent events dataset, demonstrate that the Turkish state’s counterinsurgency campaign involves group-selective violence characterized by disproportionate force that aims to neutralize domestic and international reactions, punishes dissident political mobilization, and brandishes the government’s nationalist credentials to the majority population.

GOVERNING THE WARS; THEORY, LEGISLATION, HUMAN RIGHTS, HUMAN SECURITY, AND ETHICS

The study indicates wartime programmed violence's implications within the liberal interpretation of contemporary legislative and human rights debates. It discusses related war theories and practices, problematizing instrumentalization of instilling new global ethics, arguing that humanitarian interventions often became "usable" in the new millennium's geopolitics; wars fatally affect the innocent. It points out that the origins of democracy are structurally violent and that the threat of terrorism, in addition to revealing new forms of "democratic violence," is having a transformative effect on the very character of democracy. How the concept of just cause agrees with armed humanitarian intervention, and whether we have the right to impose democracy by force? Whether the theory of just war in its positivist-legalist paradigm that combines universalist principles with utilitarian harm-weighing versus profit can offer a comprehensive method of morally contemplating current wars. The distinction between liberal cosmopolitan arguments and social democratic ones is apparent. The arbitrariness and the imposition of individual states' views create issues, leading to fragility (human security, socioeconomics, economic development, health). The compulsory international focus and responsibility should incorporate critical medical (children) - "the right to health" and humanitarian goods. Implementing rules to control war's destructiveness is less effective in intercultural conflicts. The doctrine of "just war" application is questionable, and no new victim should suffer even when the goal of the intervention is entirely legitimate and "humane." It cannot be just that it will exempt intervention forces from applying international humanitarian law, nor does the legitimacy of the intervention exempt them from respect for international humanitarian law. The international law concept has evolved from an instrument of promoting peace to an agent of the violent argument of force realization. Ethics is often imposed as politics; human rights ethics transformed into war ethics, leading to human rights violations and civilian casualties. War justice and the moral paradigm within globalization's contemporary forms are questioned. A broader discussion of the assumptions of the universality of Western values that have driven international law for centuries is required.

Damage control resuscitation in adult trauma patients: What you need to know.

Death after injury is a worldwide epidemic. Hemorrhage as a cause of death represents the leading potentially preventable condition. Based on hard-won experience from the recent wars, and two decades of military and civilian research, damage-control resuscitation (DCR) is now widely used. This article will briefly describe the history of blood transfusion, outline "why we do DCR," and then discuss "how we do DCR." Modern DCR occurs both prehospital and in the hospital and has several main tenants. Currently, DCR focuses on the liberal use of temporary hemorrhage-control adjuncts, early use of whole blood or balanced blood product-based transfusions, mitigation of crystalloid use, hypotensive resuscitation to promote hemostasis and decrease coagulopathy, and correction of ongoing metabolic derangements, followed by rapid definitive hemorrhage control. These concepts have evolved from a series of lessons learned over time from both civilian and military trauma casualties, and DCR is now the standard of care in trauma resuscitation.

THE «FOOTBALL WAR»: THE SALVADOR-HONDURAS CONFLICT OF 1969

In the article investigated the causes and course of the conflict between El Salvador and Honduras in 1969, as well as the consequences of the conflict on integration processes in the region. It was noted that the cause of the Salvador-Honduran conflict was in the problems of land reform in Honduras and demographic problems in Salvador; also, in territorial disputes that lasted between the two countries; as well as the uneven development of Salvador and Honduras. In addition, the press of both countries contributed to the aggravation of the crisis, and violence against Salvadorans in Honduras and against Hondurans in Salvador during football matches. In 1969, relations between the two countries deteriorated due to the forced deportation of Salvadorans from Honduras, whom the Honduran government had agreed two years earlier to accept in their country and provide them with land to cultivate. The problem of the deportation of Salvadorans, which was difficult to integrate into Salvador’s economic life due to limited land resources and Salvador’s population overpopulation, posed a number of challenges for the Salvador government. Consequently, the deportations of Salvadorans from Honduras, territorial disputes between the two countries, and Honduras’ economic backwardness from Salvador provoked conflict. The article states that the conflict between Salvador and Honduras resulted according to various sources from 2 to 6 thousand killed civilian and military casualties on both sides; significant number of Salvadorans (according to various sources, from 60 to 130 thousand refugee) who were forcibly deported from Honduras or fled for fear of their future; Honduras and Salvador have suffered significant industrial and social damage as a result of the bombing. However, Honduras suffered more losses, as most of the hostilities took place in Honduran lands; the social situation in Salvador has deteriorated, and the government has been unable to address the economic and social needs of Salvadorans deported from Honduras; Honduras has officially closed its border with El Salvador, thus hindering the circulation of Salvador’ products in Honduras. Thus, the Central American Common Market terminated its regional economic cooperation project; under the rule of both Salvador and Honduras, the political participation of the military was strengthened.

Method development for the evaluation of emergency decontamination protocol effectiveness using an ultraviolet fluorescent aerosol.

After hazardous material incidents, it is important to perform emergency decontamination procedures to remove contamination from the body. As these emergency decontamination procedures are developed, it is important to understand the efficacy of a given protocol. This study discusses a method that was developed to evaluate the efficacy of decontamination procedures by using an ultraviolet fluorescent aerosol and an image analysis protocol. This method involves imaging a mannequin while both unclothed and clothed prior to exposure to the fluorescent aerosol. After exposure, it was imaged again, disrobed, and decontaminated following an unconscious patient wet decontamination method. This work describes in detail the materials and methods used to develop the final methodology. Two clothing types (black cotton and Tyvek) were used to simulate civilian and first responder casualties. Image analysis was used to measure the extent of contamination on the mannequin at each stage of the procedure. These measurements were then compared to determine decontamination efficacy for each step (disrobing, wet decontamination, and total removal). The exposure protocol was shown to provide repeatable deposition of aerosol onto the mannequin. Decontamination was also shown to be repeatable, with no trends toward efficacy changing over time.

The Efficiency of Bacterial Vaccines on Mortality during the 'Spanish' Influenza Pandemic of 1918-19.

The worldwide 'Spanish' influenza pandemic of 1918-19, which extended into the 1920s, infected more than a third of the world's population and killed an estimated 50-100 million people, more than the civilian and military casualties of World War I. Present-day medical scholars, journalists, and other commentators have often ignored, downplayed or treated with scepticism the role of bacterial vaccines in reducing mortality during the pandemic. There have been repeated claims in this century that these vaccines were 'useless', 'concocted', and possibly harmful. Focussing on the Australian scene, I show that bacterial vaccines from reputable sources did indeed reduce mortality, perhaps to a greater extent in some cases than modern anti-viral influenza vaccines.

The Integration of Point-of-Care Ultrasound into Practical Trauma Training in Ukraine: A Case Study Highlighting Feasibility, Satisfaction, and Pre- and Post-Training Comfort with the Technology

Introduction:As of October 2022, the civilian casualty count of the invasion of Ukraine is reported to be 16,295, with actual figures believed to be considerably higher. As explosive trauma continues to terrorize populations, frontline medical personnel are faced with escalating resource constraints including transport, imaging modalities, and electricity. Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is considered the gold standard in acute trauma evaluation, but very few hospitals or pre-hospital medics have access to or training in POCUS.Method:In collaboration with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, and the Global Health Program at Butterfly Network, Team Rubicon developed and conducted 64 practical trauma trainings and donated 50 Butterfly iQ+ portable ultrasound devices in Ukraine between August and October, 2022. Of these trainings, 19 specifically focused on the use of POCUS for trauma. Pre- and post-surveys were deployed to determine demographics, comfort level with POCUS for trauma care, and usefulness of the course.Results:In total, 149 individuals were trained in POCUS for trauma. Of these, 130 were physicians, 15 were paramedics, three were RNs, and one was a pharmacist. Only 14.8% of these clinicians self-reported any previous POCUS training. All participants reported an increase in comfort level, with an average pre- and post-course comfort scores of 1.9 and 3.3 (4=very comfortable), respectively. General satisfaction with the training was high (average score of 9.8/10). Qualitative feedback commended the quality and novelty of this training, requested further examples of pathology, and endorsed more POCUS trainings, generally. The most critical lesson learned was the need to re-orient training around the foundations of POCUS given low levels of experience and training.Conclusion:Access and training in POCUS for trauma is critical for resource-constrained medical personnel operating in conflict-affected communities. A one-day POCUS practicum-oriented course is feasible to support awareness and proficiency.

앤드류 니콜의Good Kill에 나타난 드론 전쟁의 부당성에 대한 저항

Following the 9/11 attacks, the United States turned to drone warfare in its fight against terrorism, as drones proved to be both cost-effective and politically safer than manned fighter jets. The Obama administration, believing in the effectiveness and morality of drones, expanded and intensified drone operations compared to its predecessor. However, Andrew Niccol’s 2014 film, Good Kill, uncovers the injustices of the CIA-led drone strikes and the growing opposition against them. The movie highlights the psychological burden on drone pilots, who face an identity crisis due to their detachment from direct combat, and struggle to balance family life with the stress of participating in unequal warfare. Their families, unable to help alleviate the pilots’ psychological anxiety, instead experience crises brought on by the pilots’ stress.BR Additionally, the film emphasizes the undemocratic nature of CIA-led drone warfare, characterized by a lack of transparency and limited oversight by the public, media, and Congress. The CIA’s arbitrary application of signature strikes and threats of imminent attacks has led to civilian casualties, the division of communities, and the violation of international law. Drone strikes have been conducted within the territories of non-conflicting countries such as Pakistan and Yemen, undermining their sovereignty. These actions have fueled anti-American sentiment, support for extremist militants, and violent counterattacks against U.S. drone strikes, leading to a vicious cycle of violence and global instability.BR In response, the film’s protagonist, Tommy, sympathizes with his co-pilot, Suarez, and decides to sabotage the CIA’s operation arbitrarily applying the principles of signature strikes and proportionality. He makes an overt protest against drone warfare by leaving the military. Ultimately, Good Kill warns of the danger posed by drone warfare and calls for a ban on armed drones to prevent further proliferation and to protect the world from uncontrollable dangers.

Public response to government alerts saves lives during Russian invasion of Ukraine

War is the cause of tremendous human suffering. To reduce such harm, governments have developed tools to alert civilians of imminent threats. Whether these systems are effective remains largely unknown. We study the introduction of an innovative smartphone application that notifies civilians of impending military operations developed in coordination with the Ukrainian government after the Russian invasion. We leverage quasi-experimental variation in the timing of more than 3,000 alerts to study civilian sheltering behavior, using high-frequency geolocation pings tied to 17 million mobile devices, 60% of the connected population in Ukraine. We find that, overall, civilians respond sharply to alerts, quickly seeking shelter. These rapid postalert changes in population movement attenuate over time, however, in a manner that cannot be explained by adaptive sheltering behavior or calibration to the signal quality of alerts. Responsiveness is weakest when civilians have been living under an extended state of emergency, consistent with the presence of an alert fatigue effect. Our results suggest that 35 to 45% of observed civilian casualties were avoided because of public responsiveness to the messaging system. Importantly, an additional 8 to 15% of civilian casualties observed during the later periods of the conflict could have been avoided with sustained public responsiveness to government alerts. We provide evidence that increasing civilians' risk salience through targeted government messaging can increase responsiveness, suggesting a potential policy lever for sustaining public engagement during prolonged episodes of conflict.

From Victims to Dissidents: Legacies of Violence and Popular Mobilization in Iraq (2003–2018)

A growing literature links experiences of armed conflict with postwar political behavior. This paper examines how legacies of wartime violence shape dynamics of protest in twenty-first-century Iraq. We argue that experiences of shared violence against civilians generate strong social and organizational ties, as individuals turn to neighbors, friends, and communal organizations or social groups to help them cope. These strengthened social networks endure beyond the end of the conflict, forming important vehicles that can facilitate the organization of protest when new grievances or opportunities arise. Further, we posit that these effects will be strongest when the perpetrator of wartime violence is a clear out-group—e.g., a foreign army or non-coethnic militia—which facilitates network strengthening by creating a sense of collective victimization and in-group solidarity. We support these arguments using an original database of Iraqi protests from 2010 to 2012 and data on civilian casualties during Iraq’s 2004–2009 conflict. We further test our argument with geo-referenced Arab Barometer surveys. We leverage a case study of Fallujah, based on original interviews and other qualitative data, to unpack mechanisms of network strengthening, endurance, and reactivation during the Iraqi protest wave of 2011.