human shields
Captives blocking fire
Human shields are civilians or prisoners positioned to deter attacks on military targets—the attacker must kill innocents to strike the objective.
The practice violates international law.
The term extends to any use of vulnerable people as protection: The dictator kept foreign journalists nearby as human shields.
Figuratively, someone forced to absorb blame or criticism for others.
Those exempt from warfare
- innocentsBlameless individuals
- bystandersPeople present but uninvolved
- unarmedHaving no weapons
- populaceInhabitants of a place
residents · refugees · displaced · vulnerable · women · children · elderly · civilian casualties
Armed conflict between groups
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
- crossfireGunfire from several angles
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
airstrikes · artillery · frontline · incursion · occupation · standoff · blockade · offensive
Illegal acts during conflict
- Geneva ConventionsWartime humanitarian treaties
- international lawRules governing relations between countries
- violationsBreaches of rules
- atrocitiesExtremely cruel acts
condemnation · accountability · prosecution · tribunal · prohibited · illegal · morality · culpability
Thing that discourages action
- stratagemDeceptive plan for advantage
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- positioningArranging in specific locations
- obstructionSomething blocking the way
interposition · placement · calculated · deliberate · strategic · countermeasure · propaganda · asymmetric warfare
noncombatants
Those exempt from warfare
- innocentsBlameless individuals
- bystandersPeople present but uninvolved
- unarmedHaving no weapons
populace · residents · refugees · displaced · vulnerable · women · children · elderly · civilian casualties · population centers
warfare
Armed conflict between groups
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- siegeEncirclement forcing surrender
- crossfireGunfire from several angles
bombardment · airstrikes · artillery · frontline · incursion · occupation · standoff · blockade · offensive · military operations
war crimes
Illegal acts during conflict
- Geneva ConventionsWartime humanitarian treaties
- international lawRules governing relations between countries
- violationsBreaches of rules
atrocities · condemnation · accountability · prosecution · tribunal · prohibited · illegal · morality · culpability · complicity
deterrent
Thing that discourages action
- stratagemDeceptive plan for advantage
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- positioningArranging in specific locations
obstruction · interposition · placement · calculated · deliberate · strategic · countermeasure · propaganda · asymmetric warfare · guerrilla
hostages
Captives held for demands
bargaining chips · leverage · extortion · duress · intimidation · forced · unwilling · seized · abducted · kidnapped
- war crimesNuremberg, war crimes tribunals, prisoner abuse, war criminals, summary execution
- Gulf WarDesert Storm, Operation Desert Storm, Gulf War, Saddam Hussein, Norman Schwarzkopf
- military offensesdesertion, insubordination, mutiny, AWOL, absence without leave
- Peaceful Protestnonviolence, civil disobedience, peaceful protest, passive resistance, peaceful resistance
- wartime protectionnon-combatants, civilians, safety zones, safe havens, evacuation routes
- atrocitiesHolocaust, genocide, massacre, massacres, ethnic cleansing
human shieldsvolunteer soldiers
Troops serving by choice
armed forces · frontline troops · bodyguards · military personnel · enlisted soldiers
human shieldsprotectors
Those who guard others
defenders · guardians · rescuers · liberators · peacekeepers
human shieldsconventional warfare
Armed conflict using standard military forces
human, shield, humans, humanly, humane, inhumane, humanely, humanity, inhumanity