ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

War looting

So imagine you and your friend have a lot of toys. But one day, you and your friend got into a big fight and your friend took all of your toys and didn't give them back. That's kind of what war looting is like, but on a bigger scale.

In real life, when countries go to war, one country might invade and take things from the other country. This can include anything valuable, like money, jewels, art, or even things like furniture and clothes. The people who take these things are called looters.

But just like taking your friend's toys without permission is wrong, taking things from another country without permission is also wrong. It's actually against international laws and can be punished.

Sometimes, after a war is over, the country who lost might try to ask for their things back, or they might try to get some compensation for what was taken. But it's not always easy to get everything back, so war looting can have long-term consequences for everyone involved.
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