The aplication of the law of neutrality in a civil war setting was contingent upon the recognition of belligerency of the rebels. However, the experience of the Spanish Civil war with the ill-fated policy of non-intervention in favour of either side in the conflict has established the inadmissibility of neutrality in non-international armed conflicts. Thus, neutrality is not applied as a matter of principle and by virtue of the rule that in the event of a civil war, assistance is permissible to the government but not to the rebels.