Communicating Safely in Conflict

Communication in conflict zones is both a lifeline and a vulnerability. The ability to reach family, coordinate with allies, and receive reliable information can save lives. But the same communications can expose your location, reveal your plans, identify your associates, or provide intelligence to parties who wish you harm. Understanding what to communicate, how, and to whom is as essential as the communication itself.

This guide covers safe communication practices, protecting your devices, and maintaining contact when networks fail or are disrupted.

The Communications Threat Landscape

In conflict zones, your communications may be:

Threat	How It Works	Who Is Responsible
Interception	Calls, SMS, and unencrypted messages captured by signal intelligence	State intelligence services, military actors
Network monitoring	Traffic analysis reveals who you communicate with even without reading content	Surveillance agencies, telecom operators under government pressure
Device seizure	Phone or laptop seized at checkpoint reveals contacts, messages, history	Checkpoints, raids, arrest
Social engineering	Someone gains your trust to extract information	Informants, enemy agents, opportunists
Geolocation	Photos, messages, or GPS data reveal your location	Anyone with access to your metadata

What Not to Communicate

Regardless of the channel, avoid sharing:

1. Troop movements or security force locations — sharing this information even innocently can make you a target or implicate you.
2. Location of civilians in hiding — this can directly endanger lives.
3. Details of community security arrangements — does your neighbourhood have guards? Are there weapons? Do not share this.
4. Plans for movement before you have moved — announce your arrival, not your departure.
5. Identity of community informants, collaborators, or individuals in hiding.
6. Specific coordinates, addresses, or landmarks near your location on social media.

⚠️ Social media posts with geolocation data, photographs of identifiable buildings, or mentions of specific locations have been used to target civilians, journalists, and aid workers in conflicts. Disable location tags on all photography in conflict-affected areas.

Protecting Your Devices

Immediate Measures

1. Enable full device encryption on your phone and laptop — without the PIN, the data on an encrypted device is inaccessible.
2. Use a strong PIN or passphrase (not fingerprint or face unlock — these can be compelled at checkpoints).
3. Enable remote wipe — if your device is seized, you should be able to erase it remotely.
4. Disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not in use — both can be exploited for tracking.
5. Disable location services for social media apps.
6. Review your installed apps — some apps collect and transmit location and contact data.

At Checkpoints

• Know your right to refuse unlocking your device — in many jurisdictions this right exists, but exercising it in a conflict zone may create risks.
• Before entering high-risk areas, consider deleting sensitive messages and contacts that could endanger others if your phone is seized.
• Have a "clean" phone available for high-risk situations if possible — one with no sensitive data.

Secure Messaging Apps

Tool	Security Level	Notes
Signal	Very high	End-to-end encrypted; disappearing messages; widely trusted
WhatsApp	High	End-to-end encrypted but metadata retained by company
Telegram	Medium	Standard chats not end-to-end encrypted; use Secret Chats mode
SMS / regular phone calls	Low	Easily intercepted; avoid for sensitive information

Use Signal or an equivalent end-to-end encrypted platform for any sensitive communications.

Operating When Networks Are Down

Conflict frequently disrupts telecommunications infrastructure. Have backup communication plans:

Short-Range Options

Method	Range	Notes
Two-way radio (walkie-talkie)	2–8 km urban, farther in open terrain	Conversations are not encrypted — do not share sensitive information; use code words
Handheld ham radio	Regional	Requires licence in most countries; in emergencies, formal licensing rules are often relaxed
Physical messenger	Walking or vehicle range	Most secure for sensitive information; very slow

Medium to Long Range

Method	Range	Notes
Satellite phone (Iridium, Thuraya)	Global	Expensive; the call connection process can be tracked by signal intelligence; move location after calls
Satellite messaging (Garmin inReach, SPOT)	Global	Two-way messaging via satellite; lower intercept risk than voice
HF (shortwave) radio	Hundreds to thousands of km	Used by humanitarian organisations; can receive international broadcasts on a shortwave receiver

Communication Security Practices

Code Words and Pre-Arranged Signals

For sensitive communications, agree on code words with trusted contacts:

• A word or phrase that signals "I am safe"
• A different word that signals "I am in trouble but cannot speak freely"
• A check-in schedule: if you miss a check-in, your contact knows to escalate

This system requires no technology and works even in surveilled environments.

Need-to-Know Principle

Share information only with people who genuinely need it. The fewer people who know your location, plans, or associations, the smaller the risk of that information being compromised.

Verify Before You Trust

In conflict environments, people are recruited, coerced, or intimidated into becoming informants. Verify the identity of people you communicate with before sharing sensitive information. Use established, pre-agreed channels rather than responding to unexpected contact.

Managing Information from Others

You will receive a constant stream of information in a conflict zone — rumours, reports, secondhand accounts. Quality-control this information:

1. Check the source — did they witness this directly or hear it from someone else?
2. Verify across sources — one report of an event means little; three consistent independent reports is much more reliable.
3. Be cautious of urgent, emotionally charged information — deliberate false information designed to manipulate civilian movement often has an emotional quality.
4. Never share unverified information that could endanger people — false reports of a "safe route" or "clear area" have caused deaths.

Quick Reference — Conflict Communication Security

Situation	Action
Need to send sensitive information	Use Signal or equivalent encrypted app
Approaching checkpoint	Delete sensitive contacts/messages; disable location; use PIN not fingerprint
Network is down	Switch to two-way radio or satellite device; use physical messenger for most sensitive info
Taking photos in conflict area	Disable geotagging; review before sharing for identifiable landmarks
Receiving urgent unverified report	Verify with second independent source before acting or sharing
Pre-arranged check-in missed	Escalate according to pre-agreed protocol

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This guide provides general communication security guidance for conflict environments. Threat models vary significantly by conflict and actor. Seek specialist training if you operate regularly in conflict zones.