Urban warfare
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Urban warfare is modern warfare conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. As a distinction, warfare conducted in population centers before the 20th century is generally considered siege warfare.
Urban combat is very different from combat in the open at both the operational and tactical level. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the presence of civilians and buildings of all sorts. Some civilians may be difficult to distinguish from combatants such as armed militias and gangs, particularly if individuals are simply trying to protect their homes from the attackers. Tactics are complicated by a three-dimensional environment, limited fields of view and fire because of buildings, enhanced concealment and cover for defenders, below ground infrastructure, and the ease of placement of booby traps and snipers.
See also
- Battleplan (documentary TV series)
- Military urbanism
- Mouse-holing
- Siege warfare
- Urban guerrilla warfare
- Urban Warrior
- Urban Terrain
- Second Battle of Fallujah
- Civilian casualty ratio