This Academy Briefing adresses the status and regulation under international law of so-called "foreign fighters", non-nationals who are involved in armed violence outside their habitual country of residence, including in armed conflict as defined under international humanitarian law. IHL regulates armed conflict, including the status of individuals who are affected by or participate in it. The involvement of foreign fighters raises the question of their status under IHL, which in turn makes it necessary to analyse the extent to which nationality is a salient factor.
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