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Combatant
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{{short description|Person who takes a direct part in the hostilities of an armed conflict}} {{for|the proposed aircraft carrier|UXV Combatant}} [[File:Afghan patrol (4248434110).jpg|thumb|Afghan soldiers on patrol in 2011, during the [[War in Afghanistan (2001β2021)|War in Afghanistan]]. As adult armed personnel in active service with a military force, they would legally be considered combatants and therefore could launch targeted attacks against, or be subject to targeted attacks by, opposing armed forces.]] '''Combatant''' is the legal status of a person entitled to directly participate in hostilities during an [[armed conflict]], and may be intentionally targeted by an adverse party for their participation in the armed conflict. Combatants are not afforded immunity from being directly targeted in situations of armed conflict and can be attacked regardless of the specific circumstances simply due to their status, so as to deprive their side of their support. In an interstate conflict, the definition of "combatant" is found in Article 43 (2) of [[Protocol I|Additional Protocol I]] to the 1949 [[Geneva Conventions]]: "Members of the armed forces of a Party to a conflict (other than [[Military medicine|medical personnel]] and [[military chaplain|chaplains]] covered by Article 33 of the [[Third Geneva Convention|Third [Geneva] Convention]]) are combatants, that is to say, they have the right to participate directly in hostilities."<ref>{{cite web |title=Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977 |url=https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/7c4d08d9b287a42141256739003e636b/f6c8b9fee14a77fdc125641e0052b079 |publisher=International Committee of the Red Cross }}</ref> Combatants when captured by an opposing party are automatically granted the status of [[protected persons]],<ref>[[Third Geneva Convention]], Article 4(A)(1)</ref> whether as [[Prisoner of war|prisoners of war]] or [[unlawful combatant]]s.<ref>AP1, Art 44(2)</ref> In a non-interstate armed conflict, combatants who fought with [[Violent non-state actor|non-state armed groups]] are not afforded immunity for taking part in hostilities, as [[Rebellion|insurrection]] is a crime under the [[municipal law|domestic law]] of most nations. Therefore, they can be prosecuted by the territorial state or intervening third state for simply taking up arms.<ref name="HGFF">{{cite web|url=https://guide-humanitarian-law.org/content/article/3/non-state-armed-groups/|title=Nonstate Armed Groups|publisher=The Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law}}</ref>
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