REFERENCE

Glossary — Key Terms in Conflict Reporting

Definitions of organizations, military forces, diplomatic terms, and concepts frequently referenced in conflict reporting. Each term links to the conflicts where it is most relevant.

Military & Paramilitary Forces

FanoFano refers to informal Amhara militia groups in Ethiopia that have taken up arms against the federal government.

HamasHamas (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya, meaning "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and militant organization.

HezbollahHezbollah (meaning "Party of God") is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group backed by Iran.

IDF (Israel Defense Forces)The Israel Defense Forces are the military forces of the State of Israel, comprising ground forces, air force, and navy.

IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps)The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces distinct from the regular military.

JanjaweedThe Janjaweed were armed militias operating in western Sudan's Darfur region, primarily composed of Arab nomadic groups.

PDF (People's Defense Forces)The People's Defense Forces are the armed wing of Myanmar's National Unity Government (NUG), the civilian opposition government formed after the 2021 coup.

RSF (Rapid Support Forces)The Rapid Support Forces are a Sudanese paramilitary organization led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti).

SAF (Sudanese Armed Forces)The Sudanese Armed Forces are the national military of Sudan, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

TatmadawThe Tatmadaw is the official name of the Myanmar Armed Forces.

TPLF (Tigray People's Liberation Front)The Tigray People's Liberation Front is an Ethiopian political party and former armed movement that dominated Ethiopian politics from 1991 to 2018.

International Organizations

ICC (International Criminal Court)The International Criminal Court is a permanent international tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands.

OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)OCHA coordinates humanitarian response in emergencies, bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to crises.

UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees)UNHCR is the United Nations agency mandated to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people.

UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon)UNIFIL is a United Nations peacekeeping mission established in 1978 in southern Lebanon.

UNSC (United Nations Security Council)The United Nations Security Council is the principal organ of the UN responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

Diplomatic & Legal Terms

CeasefireA ceasefire is an agreement between warring parties to temporarily or permanently stop fighting.

R2P (Responsibility to Protect)The Responsibility to Protect is an international norm adopted by the UN World Summit in 2005 establishing that states have a responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity.

SanctionsSanctions are coercive measures imposed by states or international bodies to pressure a target government, entity, or individual to change behavior.

UNSC ResolutionA formal decision adopted by the United Nations Security Council.

Conflict-Specific Terms

Axis of ResistanceThe "Axis of Resistance" refers to a network of state and non-state actors aligned with Iran that oppose U.

Iron DomeIron Dome is an Israeli mobile air defense system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

PA (Palestinian Authority)The Palestinian Authority is the governing body established by the Oslo Accords in 1994 to administer parts of the West Bank and, originally, the Gaza Strip.

Definitions are intended as neutral factual summaries for contextual understanding. Conflict Pulse is an aggregator, not a publisher. Learn more about our methodology →