operate a shoot-to-kill policy

[Itasan]

"allegations that the army was operating a shoot-to-kill policy"
1. Was the army practicing how to shoot-to-kill?
2. What does 'operate a policy' mean?
Thank you.

[Anglika]

I always find this a very odd concept. An army's business is to fight. Fighting usually will involve killing someone.

Apart from that,

1: context does not tell us but an army will train its soldiers to shoot well enough to kill the enemy.

2: "operate a policy" - It is decided that "shoot to kill" is the way in which a situation will be contained, so all personnel are instructed that they must shoot to kill.

[Itasan]

Thank you very much, Anglika.