Civilian casualties

Civilian casualties are deaths and injuries among people who are not members of armed forces during armed conflict. The term includes both deliberate attacks and harm caused by military operations.

Distinction (international humanitarian law): A rule requiring parties to armed conflict to distinguish civilians and civilian objects from combatants and military objectives. Its breach can directly cause civilian casualties.
Civilian: A person who is not a member of a state's armed forces or an organized armed group in an armed conflict. Civilian status determines whose deaths and injuries are counted here.
Displacement (human population): The forced movement of people from their homes, within or across national borders. Attacks and the threat of further casualties can force civilians to flee.
Dresden bombing: The Allied air raids on the German city of Dresden in February 1945, which caused extensive civilian deaths and destruction. The raids remain disputed in debates over urban bombing and civilian harm.
Civilian harm mitigation: Military policies and practices intended to prevent, reduce, and respond to harm to civilians. It addresses how armed forces can limit casualties before and after attacks.
Proportionality (international humanitarian law): A rule prohibiting attacks expected to cause excessive civilian harm relative to their anticipated military advantage. It governs whether foreseeable civilian losses make an attack unlawful.
Combatant: A member of a party's armed forces, generally entitled to participate directly in hostilities under international humanitarian law. Combatants are excluded from civilian casualty counts.
Health system: The people, institutions, and resources organized to provide health services to a population. Casualties can overwhelm care while attacks and displacement weaken its capacity.
My Lai massacre: The 1968 killing of hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers in Sơn Mỹ village. It illustrates deliberate killing of civilians and the pursuit of accountability.
Civilian casualty estimation: Methods for estimating civilian deaths and injuries when complete, verified records are unavailable. Different sources and definitions produce totals that can diverge sharply.

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