What is Partisan?
[[File:RIAN archive 965 A guerrilla commander teaching his fighters to use weapons.jpg|thumb|A guerrilla commander teaching his fighters to use weapons, near [[Smolensk]], in 1941]] [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-212-0221-06, Russland-Nord, Erschießung von Partisanen.jpg|thumb|German soldiers shooot people classified as partisans, in 1941.]] A '''partisan''' is an armed fighter, who is not part of the regular troops of a [[country]] or state. The term comes from [[Italy|Italian]], where it meant member of a political party. There is no separate legal status for partisans in [[international law]]. The law of war uses four criteria to legally define someone as a [[prisoner of war]], if the person is captured: # There is someone at the head of the organisation, who assumes liability # They can be identified by a sign or mark, which is visible from far away # They carry their weapons openly # They adhere to the customs and [[laws of war]], during their operation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=2F681B08868538C2C12563CD0051AA8D|title=3rd Geneva Convention, 1949 relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of war: Article 4: Prisoners of War}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=CE8A59A191689791C12563CD00519F73|title=Geneva convention for the amelioration of the treatment of the wounded and the sick, 1949; Article 13: Protected persons}}</ref> In 1977, there were two additional protocols: They clarified that it is sufficient to carry the weapons openly only on some occasions, to be titled armed combatant.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Article.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=AF64638EB5530E58C12563CD0051DB93|title=Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977. Article 43: Armed forces}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|