Information Resilience was in helping the Metropolitan Police consider war crimes allegations.

In addition to maintaining the database, the center has conducted more than 20 open-source investigations, including into the potentially unlawful shooting of minors in Gaza. UK embassies in Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Damascus, as well as the consulate in al-Quds, have turned to the center for rapid assessments of major incidents.

Cuts driven by overseas aid budget reduction

The cuts appear to be driven by the decision to reduce the overseas aid budget to 0.3 percent of gross national income, despite maintaining the target to reach 0.7 percent when resources allow. Robbins was also pushing through a restructuring at the head office that led to the closure of several teams, including the IHL cell.

In her Mansion House speech, Cooper said, "It might be tempting to think that international law and the role of international frameworks are out of date, and that in championing them, we somehow cherish rules over national interests. Well, I reject that view."

"The role that rules-based frameworks play is vital, and respect for the rule of law is a core British value that supports our national interest," she added.

Human rights groups condemn closure

Yasmine Ahmed, the UK director of Human Rights Watch, said it was damning that the government was choosing to cut the unit at a time when there were "continued significant violations of international law and atrocity crimes being committed across the world."

"It makes me question the extent to which this government is complying with its obligations under the arms export criteria and its obligations under the arms trade treaty, as well as obligations that it's meant to be discharging under the genocide convention," she said.

Katie Fallon, the advocacy manager at Campaign Against Arms Trade, said closing the IHL cell would protect ministers and senior Foreign Office officials "who know that they have been manipulating the data on potential violations of IHL, beyond any logical interpretation, to obscure unimaginable violations and crimes."

"The timing of this closure is notable," she said. "As Olly Robbins explained to a parliamentary committee this week, the civil service is under pressure to give the government the answers that they want. Nowhere is this more clear than on ensuring arms sales to 'allies' continue, despite the risks of war crimes."

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