Koroma xviii Foreword by Yves Sandoz xx Acknowledgements xxv Introduction xxxi List of Abbreviations lviii Part I. THE PRINCIPLE OF DISTINCTION Chapter 1. Distinction between Civilians and Combatants 3 Rule 1. The Principle of Distinction between Civilians and Combatants 3 Rule 2. Violence Aimed at Spreading Terror among the Civilian Population 8 Rule 3. Definition of Combatants 11 Rule 4. Definition of Armed Forces 14 Rule 5. Definition of Civilians 17 Rule 6. Loss of Protection from Attack 19 Chapter 2. Distinction between Civilian Objects and Military Objectives 25 Rule 7. The Principle of Distinction between Civilian Objects and Military Objectives 25 Rule 8. Definition of Military Objectives 29 Rule 9. Definition of Civilian Objects 32 Rule 10. Loss of Protection from Attack 34 Chapter 3. Indiscriminate Attacks 37 Rule 11. Indiscriminate Attacks 37 Rule 12. Definition of Indiscriminate Attacks 40 Rule 13. Area Bombardment 43 Chapter 4. Proportionality in Attack 46 Rule 14. Proportionality in Attack 46 Contents Chapter 5. Precautions in Attack Rule 15.

This article explains the rationale behind a study on customary international humanitarian law recently undertaken by the ICRC at the request of the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. It describes the methodology used and how the study was organized and summarizes some major findings. It does not, however, purport to provide a complete overview or analysis of these findings.

Since their publication in the 1950s and 1980s respectively, the Commentaries on the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 have become a major reference for the application and interpretation of those treaties. The International Committee of the Red Cross, together with a team of renowned experts, is currently updating these Commentaries in order to document developments and provide up-to-date interpretations of the treaty texts. This article highlights key points of interest covered in the updated Commentary on the Third Geneva Convention. It explains the fundamentals of the Convention: the historical background, the personal scope of application of the Convention and the fundamental protections that apply to all prisoners of war (PoWs). It then looks at the timing under which certain obligations are triggered, those prior to holding PoWs, those triggered by the taking of PoWs and during their captivity, and those at the end of a PoW's captivity. Finally, the article summarizes key substantive protections provided in the Third Convention.

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