The invaders were not interested in taking detours just because helpless civilians happened to be in their way.

Many parts of it were little more than an unruly mob that was periodically unleashed on helpless civilians and allowed to plunder at will.

More scenes of Russian soldiers, of an endless line of tanks rolling down a country road as helpless civilians watch.

Reggie, having caught glimpses of helpless civilians being butchered by the alien machines, was feeling the urge to get into the battle himself.

Both sides told the other in substance, If you kill our helpless civilians, we will kill yours.

The slaughter of helpless civilians would have been horrific.

We do not murder helpless soldiers, far less helpless civilians.

These helpless and desperate civilians had no jobs and little in the way of food, shelter, or medical care.

Now, listening to the news on the radio, he thought about Bosnia, where another atrocity had just been perpetrated against helpless civilians.

"Killing hundreds of helpless civilians," he added, "is a heinous crime in Islam."