Civilian Protection in Modern Conflicts: Drones, Modern Warfare and Accountability in International Humanitarian Law

In the contemporary landscape of armed conflict, the protection of civilian populations has become an enormous concern for policymakers, humanitarian organizations, and scholars. The increasing complexity and lethality of modern warfare have underscored the need for robust legal and ethical frameworks to safeguard non-combatants. Unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), commonly known as drones, represent what we can call a transformative shift in the conduct of warfare, offering an unprecedented precision and operational flexibility. Their ability to conduct surveillance, and to execute targeted strikes remotely has made UCAVs invaluable assets in military operations, particularly in asymmetric warfare, where conventional forces are often ineffective. However, the deployment of UCAVs also raises significant ethical, legal, and humanitarian dilemmas. While UCAVs are often endorsed for their ability to reduce battlefield casualties by minimizing the direct combat, their use has been associated with a drastic increase of civilian casualties in various conflict zones, including Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia