will
I think I can give a little
information on that one - looks pretty blanket to me.
A combatant (also referred to as an enemy combatant) is a soldier or guerrilla member who is waging war. Under the Third Geneva Convention (GCIII), persons waging war must have the following characteristics to be protected by the laws of war:
1. Members of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict
2. or members of militias not under the command of the armed forces
- that of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates;
- that of having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance;
that of carrying arms openly;
- that of conducting their operations in accordance with the laws and customs of war.
or are members of regular armed forces who profess allegiance to a government or an authority not recognized by the Detaining Power.
- or inhabitants of a non-occupied territory, who on the approach of the enemy spontaneously take up arms to resist the invading forces, without having had time to form themselves into regular armed units, provided they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war.
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/off to see what I can find about this articles of war / being at war business