masacres
Masacres, or massacres, refer to the indiscriminate and often brutal killing of a large number of civilians or noncombatants by armed forces, insurgents, or other organized groups. The term originates from the Latin word *massacre*, meaning a mass killing, and has been used historically to describe events ranging from wartime atrocities to politically motivated violence.
In contemporary usage, a massacre typically involves a clear imbalance of power, the use of violence as
Key distinctions are made between massacres, genocide, and war crimes. While genocide focuses on intent to destroy
Historical examples include the My Lai Massacre in 1968 during the Vietnam War, the Sabra and Shatila
International bodies such as the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, and various human rights organizations