International law does not prohibit the use of napalm or other incendiaries against military targets , but use against civilian populations was banned by the United Nations ' inhumane weapons convention ( often referred to as the CCW ) in 1981 . International law does not prohibit the use of napalm or other incendiaries against military targets , but use against civilian populations was banned by the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons ( CCW ) in 1980 .