DOD lacks comprehensive records of alleged law of war violations. GAO obtained records of 47 alleged law of war violations committed by U.S. personnel in January 2012 – December 2022 in the AFRICOM and CENTCOM areas of responsibility.

The updated Manual substantially enhances the discussion of what the law of war requires when determining whether a person or object is a lawful target in planning and conducting attacks.

The DoD Law of War Manual provides information about the law of war to DoD personnel responsible for implementing the law of war and executing military operations.

with DoD policies, such as DoD Directive 2311.01. Under DoD Directive 2311.01, a reportable incident is defined as follows: “An incident that a unit commander or other responsible official determines, based on credible information, potentially involves: a war crime; other violations of the law of war; or conduct during military operations ...

blishes training guidance and investigating and reporting procedures for alleged law of war violations. It also prescribes guidance and procedures for the review of Air Force weapons and cyber capabilities prior to acq.