Theater security - 戰區安全

	warn: No one should travel to such countries or regions without considering the dangers and how to reduce them.

A theater refers to a large area where military operations take place, including land and sea. Clausewitz (Carl Von Clausewitz) mentioned in the theory of war: This kind of area has certain boundaries and independence. The boundaries of the theater are drawn by fortresses or natural obstacles, sometimes even overseas. Traveling in a war zone is dangerous. However, some people have to go there because of work.

Although you are not hostile, it is unusual for non-combatants to wander around a war zone, and you may be mistaken as a spy. Tourists may be regarded as enemies by many combat personnel. Tourists are easy targets for combatants, because tourists are usually not protected by any armed personnel. Some illegal armed personnel will also kidnap passengers to obtain money or get a promotion. Some brutal combatants will kill people in a variety of horrible ways for fun.

Tourists are generally not protected by security guards like other people who work for certain organizations or companies. Generally, these staff have a security force to ensure the safety of staff and assets.

Security

Generally speaking, governments strongly advise against visiting war zones for any reason. Only when diplomats and other official representatives are sent into these places are they under the escort of the security team or located in a safe area. Other organizations also provide security intelligence to groups such as non-governmental organizations and humanitarian aid organizations working in war zones.

Examples of information sources include:

U.KMinistry of Foreign Affairs and National Association Affairs(FCO) Provide travel advice.
internationalityNon-governmental security organization Provide information and assistance to non-governmental organizations and provide a safer environment for non-governmental organizations.
AmericaBureau of Consular Affairs of the State Council Provide travel advice, warnings and national intelligence.
AustraliaMinistry of Foreign Affairs-Smart Traveler Provide travel advice, travel tips and safety information for countries and projects.

Wikipedia also has a list of wars (wars in progress), but the time or accuracy listed is not very complete.

Training

Any tourist must be concerned about the situation in the war zone and what relevant training should be done before going to the country. These training courses are often easy to find. You can check the "battlefield simulation training" on the Internet and find out the address of the local training unit that can provide it. This course usually covers a wide range of detailed discussions, usually with practical experience on all issues. The training unit will provide more relevant information. Course training usually takes 2-5 days and will involve role-playing, first aid methods and wartime training. Most NGO personnel, journalists, diplomats, etc. will take these courses.

Pilgrimage GroupProvide training in the UK.
Athena Security and Intelligence Advisor(ASIC) provides training both in the UK and globally. This unit provides how to avoid being kidnapped as a hostage, and provides relevant professional training courses
OnPoint Tactics. Trained in the United States. The training is mainly based on survival, avoidance, resistance, and escape. Both civilians and military personnel can be trained.

Publication

Books and magazines dealing with survival in the wild are common, but publications dealing with war zones are rare.

Robert Young Pelton (Robert Young Pelton) "The Most Dangerous Place in the World" is a book with more than a thousand pages, the main content is to provide consultation, contact, and local country information. hisOfficial websiteThere are forums, black flag cafes, updates and contact information.
There is also "Holidays in the Danger Zone" broadcast by BBC TV.

Landmines and unexploded ordnance

CambodiaMine warning sign

existFalkland IslandsThe obvious minefield was taken in 2003, 21 years after the end of the war. Note that minefields are not obvious in many conflict areas now or in the past.

In most places, there must be mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in areas where there is armed conflict.

In some cases, even decades after the end of local conflicts, there are still dangers. For example, in some areas of China, World War II ammunition is still left on the land, and there are still incidents of people being killed by accidental entry. Although the government has sent people to clean up in recent years, the local area is not necessarily safe.

Landmines can be divided into two categories:Anti-infantryandAnti-tank. Anti-infantry mines (personnel anti-personnel mines) mainly kill and wound enemy personnel passing by; usually caused by the pressure caused by the personnel’s feet.Detonate immediately, But there are also booby traps that explode with a line index. Anti-tank mines can usually be detonated by magnetic force. The most advanced anti-tank mines are more capable of sensing and identifying friend and foe. Some mines will be detonated by tilting or pressing at the same time to increase the difficulty of the opponent's mine clearance. The mine is designed to minimize the use of metal to avoid detection by metal detectors.

It is best to pay more attention to locations with booby mines or detonating devices. Some also have warning signs to inform them. Even if some areas seem deserted and overgrown with weeds, or the vicinity of abandoned buildings may not be safe. Sometimes you will find some corners where there may be mines and ammunition packed in boxes. When mines or unexploded ordnance are found, the affected area may be marked; usually these places are marked with red paint on the rocks, and even cans or cloth strips are placed on the fence to give warnings. If you want to know that the area was once an armed conflict zone, but you want to know if there are booby mines or detonating devices; the best way is to ask local residents or through information published by humanitarian organizations, such as: UN refugees Departments or United Nations units stationed locally.

Even if the minefields are marked, some booby mines or detonating devices will change locations with heavy rain or flooding. Like in the Balkans, the river banks there are often the most dangerous.

In the local area, if you know or suspect that there is a mine area here, please walk on the paved road. If there is no paved road in the area, then you must follow the road marked by cars or the road where animals have walked. Also, pay as much attention to whether there are suspicious objects on the ground during the walking process; when you find that you have entered the minefield,Stop, please!Stay there for the first time and ask the people around you for some assistance. If this is not possible, another option is to go back to the path you just walked (of course, it is also very dangerous if you forget the path you just walked). During walking, you can also try to use a long stick and check for suspicious objects nearby, and then avoid these places as much as possible. Just a small area, because of mines or detonating devices, it may take several hours or even days to leave the area; but at least it is better than letting yourself be blown to death for no reason!

insurance

Travel insurance generally does not cover your travel to the war zone. As part of the job, such a job should usually be covered by special insurance and high premiums, which are usually borne by the employer.

Roadblocks and checkpoints

U.S. Marines at a checkpoint in Afghanistan

Roadblocks or checkpoints are common. They are usually located at corners of roads or hidden places (especially illegal checkpoints). Some illegal checkpoints may blackmail the passers-by for money or valuables or they will hurt passers-by. There are some ways to deal with the people at the checkpoint. First, keep your hands so that the other person can see. In this way, the other party will not think that you have a weapon. Don't move too suddenly, you must keep slow and gentle movements. Make yourself look happy to meet someone who intercepted you, even if you hate them very much. Be polite. Try to stay in the vehicle as much as possible. If this is not possible (the interceptor asks you to get off or you have no transportation), try to stay with other people in your team, especially if your team has women. If possible, lock all windows and doors. Hide all cameras. Learn the basic local language to understand roughly what the other party is asking or asking.

Do not photograph any military checkpoints, personnel, roadblocks or facilities. Also avoid photographing sensitive areas such as border checkpoints, national communications equipment and military installations. If you want to shoot, ask for permission before shooting. It is illegal to film these facilities in many countries, and the relevant authorities will think that you are providing confidential state intelligence on behalf of the enemy.

Kidnapping

In some cases, necessary actions should be taken to reduce the risk of kidnapping. Perhaps the most important thing is to seek protection from local professional security forces. If the worst happens to you, you will be taken as a hostage. At this time, do not make an escape, but cooperate with them to enter another place to resettle, and by the way, reduce unnecessary injuries. We still recommend that you go to the training unit for training first, so that you can have sufficient knowledge to deal with what measures should be taken to reduce the risk when you encounter a kidnapper or captive.

In any case of being kidnapped, the kidnappers have begun to dominate the control. Over time, they will increase their chances of taking action against the victim. The kidnappers will even use television, video, or email to request a high amount of ransom or materials in exchange for hostages from the kidnapped family members and the government; if the negotiation fails and fails, it is most likely to be killed directly on the spot. .

Please note that some governments will not easily pay ransom to kidnappers, and even send troops and police to fight fortresses and rescue the hostages by attack. However, this approach will often lead to failure and very high risks. Possibly; it is even possible that in the course of this conflict, the hostages have already been shot or killed. However, some governments will first use non-governmental cooperation to rescue the hostages safely through bargaining chips. As for the relevant information about the government targeting the kidnapped victims, please also refer to the Australian Government’sPublish information。

Therefore, before going to the war zone, please go through the relevant formalities with the government or embassy, and provide the time and place of residence. This is to help them find their whereabouts faster.

And some tourists will carry so-called false passports, which are usually "issued" by a non-existent country or private organization. And fake passports can also be used to get rid of terrorists targeting countries that want to blackmail. However, fake passports cannot be used for official business, because these passports do not have identity verification and are not valid.

shooting

If you are not familiar with guns, perhaps the training unit can help. Before you enter a war full of wars, you should make some training plans. If you don’t have one, it’s best not to go there rashly.

If you want to shoot, remember to change the location anytime, anywhere. If possible, try to get out of the line of fire and look for cover instead of heading directly to the war zone. If it is a group to go to shoot, it must be dispersed in different directions; it is necessary to disperse the opponent's gun attacks and cover one's own safety. Also pay attention to the movement and direction of the opponent's guns during the shooting. Remember to stay calm at all times.

If you are surrounded by unarmed people, you should adopt Murphy's law in wartime:Anything you do can kill you, and doing nothing is the same.

Don't think that hiding in the car is safe. The bullets fired by the pistol easily penetrate the two doors of the car; the bullets of the rifle are more likely to penetrate the longitudinal direction of the car; the grenade, mortar and rocket launcher are more likely to directly destroy the entire car. When you find that the opponent is attacking your car with artillery, the best way is to step up the throttle and leave quickly; because the car is often the main target of the opponent's attack, be prepared to leave at any time to avoid death.

The structure of walls, trees, and columns provide concealment, but it does not mean that they provide intact cover. Especially the AK-47 assault rifle, the rifle uses 7.62mm ammunition, which can penetrate the concrete block. The 9mm pistol can also penetrate nearly ten layers of plasterboard.

When you want to move from one place to another, you should adopt the "three-second rule", move quickly and it is best not to exceed the three-second limit. A well-remembered phrase is: "I get up, he sees me, I come down." Basically, you have to move repeatedly and quickly (fast). When you realize that the opponent's archer is aiming at you, remember Do the above and go to another safe shelter. As the saying goes, "Three people share a match will have bad luck." This thinking can be traced back to the First World War.

Another point is that in some situations, when you have been fully grasped by the enemy long ago,Adopting this rule will almost certainly allow you to be killed at any time.The enemy will even wait for you, and when you are about to go to another place for cover, you will be killed as soon as you come out. Moreover, if the enemy uses automated weapons (most armies or guerrillas will do this), then they don’t need to spend time aiming; they can even shoot in your general direction and kill you with random guns and birds. .

explode

The location of the explosion usually depends on where it is. It is recommended not to go to high-risk places, such as restaurants or crowded places, because these places may become the target of explosion attacks at any time. If there is an explosion attack nearby unfortunately, the best thing to do is to run away. This is because local explosive attacks will likely occur one after another.

equipment

Military contractor in Iraqi private camp

Bulletproof vest

Putting on a bulletproof vest (sometimes called a bulletproof vest) may save your life in some cases, but it does not mean you are immune to internal injuries. Bulletproof vests only protect the middle part of the body, not the limbs. Choosing a bulletproof vest should be quite light and comfortable to wear, which can block most of the pistol bullets and shrapnel. However, it is not a bulletproof vest that can block an attack by a knife. If you are wary of being attacked by a knife, then you may need to wear two bulletproof vests to ensure your own safety!

If the visitor is wearing armor, it is strong enough to stop most rifle bullets, but the armor is extremely heavy, bulky, uncomfortable and conspicuous. Under normal circumstances, armor can block 50-caliber rifle attacks.

There are some suppliers, such asMiguel CaballeroorSpycatcher, The clothes made not only seem normal and fashionable, but they are also bulletproof. This is a good choice, because the clothing is not easy to see like bulletproof vests and comfortable to wear, but the price is often expensive, and it costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a single piece; but if your life is in danger , And you can buy it at this price, which is obviously worth it.

arms

In some areas, tourists may step into the armed conflict zone; for example, in Iraq, you will find that local people are armed with weapons. And we recommend tourists not to go there! If tourists must go there, it is better to travel with the local armed guards.

For most tourists, carrying weapons will only increase their risk. If a tourist has a weapon, it is not an ordinary civilian; you will be considered a spy or a soldier, and therefore will be mistaken for a member of an armed group.

first aid

To illustrate a complete first aid course, it may be beyond the scope of the content of the entry.

Remember, if you need to use first aid, the first step is to stay calm, find a safe place, and finally apply for first aid.

The basic first aid method can beRed CrossTeach you how to deal with minor injuries and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. And these basic courses are often cheap or free.

In harsh environments, wartime military doctors, or "defensive medical" courses, they generally focus on professional medical first aid for massive bleeding, shock, airway management, and trauma care. They also usually include the use of tourniquets, H bandages, nasal airways, and QuikClot or CELOX hemostasis training.

In the U.S,GOR GroupProvide medical training during combat.

War reporter

Basically you should not go to the war zone unless you are a war correspondent. War correspondents refer to reporters who cover and report news in battlefields.

Regarding the identity and protection of journalists who report on wars, the "Geneva Third Convention" and the First Additional Protocol stipulate this: Journalists conducting war coverage are divided into "general journalists" and "war reporters." "Ordinary journalists" on both sides of the hostile are civilians and should be respected and protected in accordance with the provisions for the protection of civilians. However, "general journalists" cannot engage in "hostile actions"; "war reporters" are accompanied by troops approved by their country’s armed forces. Participating in the march, although not necessarily directly participating in combat operations, if captured by the opponent, they will also become prisoners of war.

In February 1854, the British Times reporter William Howard Russell (William Howard Russell) accompanied the British army on an expedition to Malta and became the world's first professional war correspondent.

With the development of warfare in the direction of high technology, the battlefield environment has become more complex and changeable, the pace of combat is getting faster and faster, and the range of weapon strikes has increased. The battlefield is no longer divided between the front and the back. However, countless facts have proved that journalists are increasingly becoming targets of violent attacks and kidnappings in wars, and the dangers they encounter when reporting on wars on the battlefield are increasing. In history, many war reporters have died during the war.

During the Patriotic War of the former Soviet Union, 44 journalists died in Izvestia; 63 journalists died in the entire Vietnam War; and the number of journalists from various countries who died in the Balkans in the two years before the Bosnia and Herzegovina Civil War reached 68. In the Kosovo war launched by NATO against Yugoslavia in 1999, there were no casualties among NATO troops who went into combat. In Belgrade, more than 10 Yugoslavia journalists were killed. In that war, Chinese journalists were also on the "death list" for the first time. ".