War crimes are a particular category of international crime, which can be tried by international criminal tribunals, like the International Criminal Court (ICC). To date, the majority of war crimes prosecutions in international criminal tribunals have focused on crimes committed against civilians in armed conflicts. War crimes can also be committed against combatants, provided that they are no longer taking part in hostilities. But the ICC passed down a decision earlier this month that extends protection under international criminal law to cover war crimes committed within armed forces. Following this recent ICC decision it would not be unreasonable to suggest that the allegations constitute not just domestic crimes, but international crimes as well.

Source: The Star January 24, 2017 16:05 UTC