International Norms when Fighting in areas with Civilians

International Norms to Limit Collateral Damage

 Australian Defense Force Manual:

The presence of non-combatants in or around a military objective does not change its nature as a military objective. Non-combatants in the vicinity of a military objective must share the danger to which the military objective is exposed.

Belgian Teaching Manual for Soldiers:

Objects occupied or used by enemy military forces are military objectives even if these objects were civilian at the outset (houses, schools or churches occupied by the enemy).

Spain’s Law of Armed Conflict Manual:

The principle of proportionality…is based on recognition of the fact that it is difficult to limit the effects of modern weapons and methods of warfare exclusively to military objectives and that it is likely that they will cause collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects.