The Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front (Soldiers of the Homeland) has announced, through the introduction of its military code of conduct, that respecting human rights, humanitarian principles, and international standards related to armed conflict is among its core obligations. The Front stated that, under this code, it is committed to observing the four Geneva Conventions and to protecting civilians, prisoners of war, the wounded, journalists, and aid workers, while prohibiting any form of torture, hostage-taking, degradation, or violation of human dignity. In its three-chapter, 20-article code, the Front emphasized that civilians will not be targeted in military operations, that it will support freedom of expression and media activity, and that it considers the protection of journalists and domestic and international humanitarian organizations to be among its responsibilities. It also stated that it will prevent the destruction of public facilities and cultural heritage sites and will hold accountable, before the public and oversight bodies, any of its members found to have violated these principles.
The Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front introduced its military code of conduct. The Front wrote that war is a bitter and unwanted human phenomenon, but that defending the homeland and standing against forces of terror and aggression is, as a last resort, unavoidable. The Front stressed that even under the most difficult circumstances, observing the limits of Sharia, humanitarian principles, and human rights standards remains a moral and strategic necessity.
The Front stated that it drafted its combat code of conduct as an authoritative document and reference for battlefield conduct, so that while safeguarding human dignity, it would also remain accountable to collective conscience, religious values, and international standards.
The Front said it has emerged from among the people and considers itself obligated to defend them. According to the Front’s combat code of conduct, while respecting ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity, it believes that freeing the people from oppression and tyranny is only possible through unity, solidarity, and peaceful coexistence.
The second article of the code states: “In light of valuable religious teachings, the Sepahi-e-Mihan Front, while engaged in armed struggle, considers the honor and value of a struggle to lie not in violence, but in preventing violence from becoming institutionalized and in adhering to good conduct. Any deviation from this path will be regarded as contrary to all the principles and foundations of the Sepahi-e-Mihan Front.”
The Front emphasized that it considers itself bound to observe the provisions of the four Geneva Conventions and other international covenants related to armed conflict. The code states that, given that the protection of prisoners, the wounded, civilians, journalists, and aid workers, as well as the prohibition of hostage-taking, torture, and the destruction of cultural heritage, are internationally recognized principles, the Front regards any violation of these values as crossing its fundamental red lines and humanitarian obligations.
The fourth article of the code states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front considers service to the people, honesty and integrity in the course of struggle, respect for organizational discipline, protection of public property, pluralism, responsibility, and accountability to be among its priorities.
The Front stated that its combat code of conduct covers principles related to warfare, the treatment of the wounded and prisoners, adherence to Islamic values and human rights, the pursuit of justice, and the preservation of human honor and dignity. According to the Front, the code was drafted in three chapters and 20 articles.
The first article of the code states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front is committed to ensuring social justice and respecting civil rights. The second article specifies that the Front will safeguard the property, reputation, and dignity of citizens, and considers the seizure of property, defamation, and any violation of individuals’ privacy to be contrary to its fundamental values.
The third article states that civilians will never be targeted in military operations. The fourth article specifies that, through preventive measures, the Front considers the protection of citizens’ lives, property, reputation, and dignity to be among its duties.
The fifth article states that respect for religious beliefs in the country, the cultural values of all social groups, and the human rights of religious minorities are among the fundamental principles of the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front.
The sixth article states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front respects the country’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage and will prevent any destruction, smuggling, or annihilation of it.
Under the seventh article of the code, the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front will avoid any destructive action against facilities, infrastructure, and public service sites during military operations, and violators will be dealt with within the framework of the Front’s fundamental principles.
The eighth article states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front, while respecting political and civic critics, considers freedom of expression to be a foundation for growth and dynamism and, in keeping with the fundamental principles of free speech, welcomes constructive criticism aimed at addressing shortcomings.
The second chapter of the code addresses the law of armed conflict and rules of conduct on the battlefield. This section states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front will treat prisoners of war in accordance with international conventions and Islamic and humanitarian values.
Under the ninth article of the code, any torture, threats, or degrading treatment of prisoners is strictly prohibited, and wounded prisoners will receive priority access to medical care.
The tenth article states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front considers any forced confession extracted from prisoners of war to be contrary to religious teachings and human rights standards.
In the eleventh article of its code, the Front stated that it does not target any civilian relatives of members of opposing military forces and will prevent any pressure, threats, or hostage-taking directed against them.
Under the twelfth article, prisoners of war will, as a first step, be exchanged while their human rights are respected.
The thirteenth article states that if an accusation of espionage against the Front is proven, with valid evidence and documentation, the accused will be tried in a public, transparent, and community-based court in the presence of the media. The article also specifies that if the crime is proven, the accused will face severe punishment, with the exception of execution.
The fourteenth article states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front welcomes monitoring by international bodies of the condition of prisoners of war and will provide access to information and visits with prisoners.
The fifteenth article states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front will refrain from taking domestic or foreign citizens hostage.
The sixteenth article states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front considers the defense of journalists and media outlets to be its responsibility and regards their protection as one of its duties.
The seventeenth article states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front is obligated and committed to supporting human rights organizations and domestic and international humanitarian bodies during war and crisis.
In the third chapter, the eighteenth article states that if a member of the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front is found to have committed a violation, including seizure of property, defamation, extortion, threats, assault, torture, or any act against the human dignity of citizens, the violator will be tried in a public, transparent, and independent community court and, under the combat code of conduct, will be subject to punishment.
The nineteenth article states that the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front considers itself accountable to the public and to human rights oversight courts.
The twentieth article states that all forces of the Sepahiyan-e-Mihan Front are obligated to comply with and observe the provisions of this code of conduct.
On Friday evening, July 1۷, 2026, at around 2:00 a.m., the Front, along with a number of its fighters, attacked the Yaftal-e-Payan district in Badakhshan province and held control of the district for several hours.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
از میدان نبرد تا تعهدات انسانی؛ جبهه سپاهیان میهن آییننامه نظامی خود را منتشر کرد
