Chapter 7 – Wounded And Sick

Section 1
Definition

1. The term “wounded and sick” refers to any person:

whether military or civilian;
who is in need of medical assistance or care due to trauma, disease, physical or mental disorder or disability; and
who refrains from any act of hostility.^{Footnote 29}

Section 2
Humane Treatment

2. All wounded and sick, whether civilian or combatant, are always entitled to humane treatment and respect for their dignity. In particular, CAF members must ensure that the wounded and sick who have fallen into the hands of the CAF are not subjected to: pillage; ill-treatment; torture; murder; extermination; biological experiments; or conditions that expose them to contagion or infection.

Section 3
Search and Collection

3. Following combat, CAF members must without delay take all feasible measures to search for and collect the sick and wounded – whether friendly, enemy or civilian.^{Footnote 30} CAF members are not required to endanger their lives or the success of the mission to recover the wounded and sick.

4. CAF members may seek assistance from the local population and relief societies when necessary. The local population and relief societies must also be permitted to collect and care for the wounded and sick on their own initiative.^{Footnote 31}

Section 4
Care

5. To the extent possible, CAF members must provide the wounded and sick with the medical care required by their condition. Priority of treatment must be based on medical reasons alone. There may be circumstances where a member of the enemy force must be treated before a CAF member.^{Footnote 32}

6. Where the enemy force has left behind medical personnel and equipment to treat enemy wounded and sick, CAF members still have an obligation to provide any additional medical care and attention that may be required.^{Footnote 33}

Section 5
PW Status

7. Wounded and sick combatants who fall into the hands of the enemy force become PWs. For more information on obligations towards PWs, see Chapter 8.^{Footnote 34}

Section 6
Arrangements

8. Subject to orders, CAF commanders may make arrangements with commanders of the enemy force for the exchange, removal and transport of the wounded and sick from the battlefield. Local arrangements may also be made for the passage of medical and religious personnel and equipment on their way to besieged or encircled areas.^{Footnote 35}

Section 7
Obligation When Compelled to Abandon Wounded and Sick

9. If compelled to leave behind the wounded and sick (e.g. during a rapid withdrawal), CAF members must leave behind medical personnel and equipment to care for them unless it is not possible to do so.

Section 8
“Mercy Killing”

10. CAF members are prohibited from killing a wounded or sick person to end their suffering. When dealing with grievously injured persons, CAF members must render whatever medical care and attention is possible in the circumstances.^{Footnote 36}

Section 9
Dead

11. CAF members must take all possible measures to search for the dead and to care for their remains. In particular, CAF members must:

examine bodies to confirm death and to establish and record identity;
refrain from cremating bodies except for reasons of hygiene or for motives based on the religion of the deceased;
inter the dead individually and according to the rites of the religion to which they belong, to the extent possible; and
mark gravesites so that they can always be found.^{Footnote 37}

Wounded and Sick vs Hors De Combat

The mere fact that a combatant or a civilian directly participating in hostilities becomes wounded or sick (e.g. during a firefight) does not necessarily mean that they can no longer be attacked.
A combatant only becomes protected from attack if their wound or sickness leaves them incapable of defending themselves or if they otherwise become hors de combat through surrender or detention. A wounded or sick combatant remains liable to attack if they continue to fight or to engage in other acts of hostility (e.g. passing intelligence on enemy positions to their own forces) or if they attempt to escape.
For a civilian directly participating in hostilities, the question is whether, despite their wound or sickness, they continue to DPH. A civilian who is rendered unconscious while fighting becomes protected from attack.
In practice, it may be difficult for CAF members to determine the precise moment when a combatant has been rendered hors de combat or when a civilian has ceased to DPH because of wound or sickness. Ultimately, CAF members must make each assessment honestly and reasonably based on the relevant information available at the time.^{Footnote 38}

Page details

Date modified:: 2025-09-02

Chapter 7 – Wounded And Sick

Section 1 Definition

Section 2 Humane Treatment

Section 3 Search and Collection

Section 4 Care

Section 5 PW Status

Section 6 Arrangements

Section 7 Obligation When Compelled to Abandon Wounded and Sick

Section 8 “Mercy Killing”

Section 9 Dead