Argentina
Practice Relating to Rule 50. Destruction and Seizure of Property of an Adversary
Argentina’s Law of War Manual (1969) states: “The destruction of enemy property shall be permissible, as required by military operations.”
The manual adds that it is prohibited “to appropriate immovable enemy property, except when the appropriation is strictly necessary for reasons of military necessity”.
With regard to occupied territory, the manual provides:
Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.
Argentina’s Law of War Manual (1989) provides that “extensive destruction and appropriation of property not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly” are grave breaches of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and war crimes.