Definition of the word human shield

The term "human shield" emerged during the Gulf War in 1991, as a tactic used by Iraqi forces to protect their military installations from air strikes by coalition forces. The aim was to place civilians, including women and children, in harm's way, forcing the coalition forces to either leave their targets untouched or risk causing civilian casualties. This strategy was first used by Saddam Hussein's regime during the Siege of Kurdish cities, where Kurdish civilians were forced to remain inside and act as human shields while Iraqi forces left. Witnesses reported that Iraqi soldiers forced Kurdish women, children, and the elderly to march through the streets carrying white flags and signs, proclaiming themselves as human shields. The use of human shields during the Gulf War sparked widespread international condemnation, as it was seen as a clear violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits using civilians as human shields. The strategy was also condemned by the United Nations, and countries involved in the coalition forces, including the United States, pledged not to use force against Iraqi civilians used as human shields. The term "human shield" has since been used in various conflicts, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where both sides have been accused of using civilians as human shields, and the Syrian civil war, where opposition forces and rebels have been accused of using civilians as human shields to prevent Syrian government forces from attacking specific targets. In summary, the term "human shield" was coined during the Gulf War to describe a tactic used by Iraqi forces that involuntarily puts civilians at risk to protect military installations from coalition forces' air strikes, which is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.