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Abelligerent is an individual, group, country, or other entity that acts in a hostile manner, such as engaging incombat. The term comes from theLatinbellum gerere (meaning "to wage war").[1] Unlike the use ofbelligerent as an adjective meaning "aggressive", its use as a noun does not necessarily imply that a belligerent country is anaggressor.
In times ofwar, belligerent countries can be contrasted withneutral countries andnon-belligerents. However, the application of thelaws of war to neutral countries and the responsibilities of belligerents are not affected by any distinction betweenneutral countries,neutral powers ornon-belligerents.[2][3]
"Belligerency" is a term used ininternational law to indicate the status of two or more entities, generallysovereign states, being engaged in awar. Wars are often fought with one or both parties to a conflict invoking the right to self-defence underArticle 51 of theUnited Nations Charter[4] (as theUnited Kingdom did in 1982 before the start of theFalklands War[5]) or under the auspices of aUnited Nations Security Council resolution (such as theUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 678, which gave legal authority for theGulf War).
A state of belligerency may also exist between one or more sovereign states on one side and rebel forces, if such rebel forces are recognised as belligerents. If there is a rebellion against a constituted authority (for example, an authority recognised as such by the United Nations), and those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents, the rebellion is aninsurgency.[6] Once the status of belligerency is established between two or more states, their relations are determined and governed by the laws of war.[7]
