On Thursday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report urging the international community to address the detrimental impacts of incendiary weapons in armed conflicts. The report outlines the devastating effects these weapons have had in four ongoing conflicts over the past year, calling attention to severe humanitarian consequences.
Incendiary weapons are devices designed to ignite fires and cause severe burn or respiratory injuries through chemical compounds like napalm and white phosphorus. According to HRW, the use of these agents leaves survivors with lasting physical and psychological scars. The International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs have raised questions about these weapons’ compliance with international humanitarian law, particularly regarding civilian safety.
Documented use of incendiary weapons has occurred in Lebanon, Gaza, Ukraine, and Syria. In Lebanon, weapon deployment has damaged agriculture, uprooting socioeconomic stability. In Ukraine, increased incendiary attacks pose risks to forest landscapes. The Syrian usage in opposition areas has further strained the humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations initially addressed these weapons through General Assembly Resolution 2923 and later integrated them into the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). Protocol III under the CCW governs their use, offering a forum for treaty parties to discuss relevant issues. Nevertheless, HRW and other organizations have pinpointed significant protocol gaps that compromise civilian protection, notably concerning the munitions’ classification and inadequate ground-launch restrictions.
Efforts to tighten regulations are often thwarted by the consensus-driven international system, allowing state parties, such as Russia, to stall progress on Protocol III adjustments. Despite this, calls to strengthen regulations and universalize the protocol continue to grow amidst increasing international recognition of these weapons’ devastating impacts.
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