Navigating Legal Challenges in Drone Cyberattacks: The Case of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21271/zjlp.23.38.1Keywords:
Drone Cyberattacks, Sovereignty, Countermeasures, Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts(RSIWA).Abstract
This paper provides an international law perspective on the complexities of addressing drone cyberattacks against the KRI. It seeks to explore how drone cyberattacks intersect with established principles such as state sovereignty, the prohibition of intervention, and the prohibition of the use of force under international law. It applies relevant frameworks like the Tallinn Manual, the Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (ICL), and the UN Charter. This paper examines the legal foundation of countermeasures, including diplomatic, economic, and cyber responses, within the context of the KRI’s cooperation with the Iraqi federal government. Additionally, it explores how ICJ and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) can respond to such attacks. Based on a qualitative research method, this study incorporates a review of legal documents, case studies, and expert opinions to assess drone cyberattacks in the framework of international law. The research also emphasizes the issues of proportionality and necessity in countermeasures, while highlighting the political and diplomatic constraints faced by the Kurdistan Region due to its relationship with the Iraqi state. The findings indicate that while the KRI is capable of implementing defensive strategies, determining appropriate international responses requires careful consideration of both legal norms and geopolitical factors.
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