Despite the existence of a definition of civilian status in international humanitarian law (IHL), differences in the application of this definition – both in theory and in practice – continue to be observed. One of the contexts where these differences remain palpable (and do so for various fighting parties) is Afghanistan, a country where civilian harm has remained high for several years. This article explores the legal concepts of civilian and civilian population, including how they have been formed and interpreted and, ultimately, what protection they afford to persons who belong in these categories. The second part of the article brings these questions into the Afghan context, one that is complex and where cultural and religious implications should not be overlooked. Public statements, reports and codes of fighting parties in the country which touch upon civilian status are presented, followed by the civilian experience in Afghanistan, particularly focusing on the reported harm. Ultimately, it is proposed that despite the factual and contextual confusion, the existing legal rules and interpretations, when applied in good faith, suffice to ensure both that those who are civilians under IHL are protected and that the threats which some civilians’ behaviour might pose can be effectively addressed without a status change.

中文翻译：

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谁是阿富汗的平民？

尽管国际人道法 (IHL) 中存在对平民身份的定义，但该定义的应用在理论上和实践上仍然存在差异。这些差异仍然明显的背景之一（并且对于各个战斗方都是如此）是阿富汗，这是一个多年来平民伤害一直很高的国家。本文探讨了平民和平民人口的法律概念，包括它们是如何形成和解释的，以及它们最终为属于这些类别的人提供了什么保护。文章的第二部分将这些问题带入阿富汗背景，这是一个复杂的问题，文化和宗教影响不容忽视。公开声明，介绍了涉及平民身份的该国交战方的报告和守则，随后介绍了阿富汗平民的经历，特别关注报告的伤害。最后，建议尽管存在事实和语境的混淆，但如果善意适用现有的法律规则和解释，就足以确保受国际人道法保护的平民以及某些平民的行为可能造成的威胁可以在不改变状态的情况下得到有效解决。