Armed Non-State Actors and Cultural Heritage Protection Under IHL

This chapter of the book focuses on the relations between the Armed Non-State Actors (ANSAs) and the protection of cultural heritage under International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The proliferation of these actors in several parts of the world and their increased relevance in armed conflict throughout the last decades made them particularly relevant when dealing with the issue of which and how warring parties must comply with IHL rules. Starting from a broader analysis of the current international legal framework protecting cultural heritage in armed conflict and its applicability to ANSAs, the chapter will focus on the attitude of these actors toward cultural heritage and after analysing some selected cases related to Mali, Syria, and Iraq. It will also identify current gaps and future developments of relevant IHL norms.