Armed conflict under international law

The ICRC's 2016 Commentary, as quoted by Just Security, describes non-international armed conflicts as protracted armed confrontations between governmental armed forces and one or more armed groups, or between such groups. The ICRC's 2016 Commentary on the First Geneva Convention, as quoted by Just Security, states that an international armed conflict can arise when one state uses armed force against another even if the latter does not or cannot respond militarily.