Who are persons placed around or within a valid military target to hinder attack, including those who place themselves in or near the line of fire to disrupt it?

• A. No strike process
• B. Human shields
• C. No strike entity (NSE)
• D. Dual use entity

Answer: (B)

Using people to deter or disrupt a military attack by placing them around or inside a target is called employing human shields. This tactic aims to raise the risk for attackers and can slow or halt operations, since legitimate forces must try to distinguish between civilians and military objectives and take feasible precautions to avoid civilian harm. Civilians are protected under international humanitarian law, and their presence near or within a target does not justify attacking them or turning the target into a lawful target simply because shields are nearby. The attacker must still respect the principles of distinction and proportionality, and attempt to minimize harm to civilians. The other terms don’t fit because they describe processes or categories unrelated to people used to hinder or disrupt an attack, or refer to objects with dual civilian/military uses rather than individuals.