The number of civilians directly killed in this war already stands at over 1,500 but the full toll of civilian harm is far greater and deeper.

Justice after two decades www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/u...

Not good cpj.org/2026/03/germ...

NEW: Arrest in London of former Syrian Air Force intelligence officer. For years the Syria work of the War Crimes Unit at Counter Terrorism Command (Met Police) has focused on 'structural investigations', but this apparently follows tip off by Syrians in London. #UJ 1/2 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

When I was crossing the Bekaa valley last month, a shopkeeper proudly told me that “half the restaurants in New York serve wine from the Bekaa” (he wouldn’t be far wrong).

General Sir Richard Shirreff: "if Britain is involved, our hand is in the mangle... we should not in any way, shape or form be involved with the Americans closely because they are being led by a couple of gung ho nutters without a proper strategy..." After that, he let's rip.

British PM Starmer says that U.K. bases will only be used for ’defensive’ operations and not ‘offensive’ ops. But how can that be so when they are being used by the aggressor? Great discussion here with Milanovic, @adhaque.bsky.social @janinadill.bsky.social www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/u...

“The United States, Israel, and Iran, have each violated international law. The United Kingdom appears poised to join them.” www.justsecurity.org/132894/us-is...

Great thread on the wonderful Yanar Mohammed ⬇️

Devastated to learn that the great Yanar Mohammed, founder of the Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq, was assassinated today by 'unknown' gunmen in Baghdad. Here in her own words:

The only certainty in the war between US/Israel and Iran is mass civilian harm www.ceasefire.org/mass-civilia...

U.K., France, Germany statement just out. The “we are not joining these strikes” line is crumbling fast…

Reassuring www.newscientist.com/article/2516...

inside the ‘triple black box’

As Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, the immense civilian toll continues to grow. Writing for our blog, Ukrainian artist and activist Anna Moskalets shares how these four years have altered her life, her art, and her understanding of resistance.

"The body of evidence we collected ... leaves only one reasonable inference," said UN expert Mona Rishmawi. "The RSF acted with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Zaghawa and Fur communities in El-Fasher. These are the hallmarks of genocide." reliefweb.int/node/4199260

Bound to be good!

Assassinating Justice in Libya My latest piece for @ceasefirecentre.bsky.social Read it here 👇🏽 www.ceasefire.org/assassinatin...

I sat in on the Defence Committee last week as former ministers were questioned about the MoD's Afghan data breach. In my latest blog post for @ceasefirecentre.bsky.social, I consider what the data breach and superinjunction reveal about the culture inside the MoD and what needs to change.

Large pro-Kurdish demo outside U.K. Parliament just now. There’s a lot of concern that what happened in Suwayda is now unfolding in NE Syria.

Indeed www.state.gov/u-s-support-...

“Contrary to the interests of the US”: - Global Counterterrorism Forum - International Law Commission - Office of UN SRSG on violence against children -Peacebuilding Commission …. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Historic verdict: Roger Lumbala is found guilty of crimes against humanity in DR Congo.. Congratulations to all who made this happen - particularly to @mglattimer.bsky.social

Good that the PM has intervened, but he is only repeating a threat that was first made by the UK gov 6 months ago. Now is the time for action. #reparations #Ukraine www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

BREAKING 📣 Congolese warlord Roger Lumbala was convicted today for complicity in crimes against humanity committed during the Second #Congo War. Minority Rights Group welcomes this decision to convict as a historic turning point for the #indigenous Bambuti.

BREAKING: Roger Lumbala found guilty of complicity in crimes against humanity and sentenced to 30 years for operation Effacer le tableau in eastern Congo, just now at Cour d’Assises in Paris. @minorityrights.bsky.social

Here with UN SR Francesca Albanese at @odi.global “Absolutely Israel should pay reparations for the occupation — and those other countries who are complicit by sending arms.”

This is the letter received by an Iraqi family in Basra after their father was arrested. “British Forces have treated him in a good way according to the British Rules”, writes the commanding officer reassuringly. In fact, as the officer knew very well, their father was already dead. SHORT 🧵

Afghan Inquiry publishes redacted evidence from closed hearings in 2024 involving former Special Forces members, after refusing the MoD’s request to delay release. Newly published docs reveal the Inquiry was told UKSF leadership suppressed evidence of possible war crimes.

OUT NOW: Our new report finds UK defence is ill-prepared to protect civilians from harm from UK military operations. Full report: www.ceasefire.org/uk-defence-i...

Happening In Belfast tomorrow ⬇️ Please repost for colleagues in Northern Ireland!

"Ukraine reserved the right to decide how to allocate resources, Ms Mudra said, adding that some would have to go towards other sectors like reconstruction and victim compensation." At least some of the "reparations loan" should be spent on #reparations for victims. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Crushing opinion on Israel’s obligations just dropped from Intl Court of Justice. In findings that rely heavily on IHL, ICJ says that Israel’s duty under GCIV Art59 to facilitate relief schemes if the local population is inadequately supplied is *unconditional*, incl. relief provided by UNRWA. 1/3

My latest on military necessity and humanity in the law of war, for @articlesofwar.bsky.social . Check out the whole series, in honour of Françoise Hampson. lieber.westpoint.edu/calibrating-...

Over 5,000 Ukrainians have been released from Russian prisons, many in appalling condition. They need immediate support. Don't let Merz spend the reparations loan all on weapons. 🔽

The British Army did this when it sent 1 Para into Derry to police a civil rights March in 1972. Twenty-six civilians were shot and it’s still causing headlines over half a century later. #BloodySunday

You may or may not agree with Merz that “these additional funds are solely used to finance Ukraine’s military equipment” but to argue that they should be repaid from funds Russia pays to compensate Ukraine for war damage is disingenuous & weakens the case for #reparations. www.ft.com/content/3aac...

If you’re at the UN Human Rights Council this Friday, join us to discuss human rights and justice in #Syria #HRC60 With thanks to Syrians for Truth and Justice, IMPAC, Cairo Institute et al. @ceasefirecentre.bsky.social

Many thanks to @justsecurity.org for publishing my short article, "Sanctions against Israel: An International Law Perspective". Access it below ⤵️

Ahead of the Trump-Zelensky meeting, re-upping our recent piece on why #reparations for Ukraine may be winnable in a Ukraine-Russia Deal www.lawfaremedia.org/article/repa...

A huge thanks to Mark Lattimer (@mglattimer.bsky.social), Chantal Meloni (@chamelons.bsky.social), Brian Finucane (@bcfinucane.bsky.social), and Jake Romm (@jakeromm.bsky.social) for speaking with me for the piece, which you can read here: theintercept.com/2025/08/06/i...

Significant 🔽 If it is Israel's position that there may be starvation in Gaza but that Gazans are not being starved *intentionally*, this mirrors Israel's position with regard to civilian deaths from kinetic attacks. I wrote on the int law implications of this here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

“…many experts in IHL argue that a fixation on a genocide verdict could be a dangerous distraction, delaying decisive action by the international community as it waits for an ICJ verdict while demonstrable crimes against humanity are allowed to continue.” www.theguardian.com/law/2025/jul...

The French ruling upholding head of state immunity is disappointing but hardly a surprise after the ICJ's ruling in the Arrest Warrant case. But that immunity doesn't cover Assad now that he is no longer head of state -- including for crimes committed while in office. apnews.com/article/fran...

PhD funded studentship application deadline next week: Three year funded PhD studentship on #AI in war and a focus on civilian harm with 6 months working with Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights. Check out the details here: www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Scho...

On another unspeakably grim day for Palestinians in Gaza, I talked to @aljazeeraenglish.bsky.social about starvation as a war crime. mediaview.aljazeera.com/video/qDghRd...

As the U.S. administration pushes for a third round of Ukraine-Russia peace talks, Michael Raff and @mglattimer.bsky.social argue that historical precedent and financial leverage offer hope that reparations for conflict-related harm may be attainable in a future deal.

Why do we know that negotiations could deliver #reparations for #Ukraine? Because it's happened before. My latest with Michael Raff for @lawfaremedia.org www.lawfaremedia.org/article/repa...

“The UK must approach Ukraine reparations not as a distant post-conflict project, but as a current and urgent imperative.” @maethompson.bsky.social at packed @ceasefirecentre.bsky.social event in Parliament last night. Thx to @alexsobel.co.uk for his leadership on Ukraine #reparations

"...some of the legal arguments being used to justify Israel’s action against Iran are exactly the same as those used by Russia to justify invading Ukraine." "The core legal argument is the same." www.ejiltalk.org/the-illegal-...