The report documented the use of brutal and indiscriminate force against slum dwellers in Mumbai.

Georgian forces used indiscriminate force during their attack on South Ossetia "with blatant disregard for the safety of civilians."

"Russia runs the risk of isolating itself from the international community by continuing to utilize indiscriminate force," a Clinton administration official said.

There have been several episodes recently in which civilians have been killed and foreign forces have been accused of indiscriminate or excessive force.

Mr. Brody of Human Rights Watch said Israel had used "excessive and indiscriminate force" intended "to maximize civilian casualties."

Witnesses say hundreds of unarmed people were killed when the authorities resorted to indiscriminate force.

Reports describe looting, arrests and indiscriminate shelling by some Islamic State forces.

Whatever the rockets' effect, the bereaved mothers say, their presence demonstrated that the government was willing to use indiscriminate force though children were present.

The use of indiscriminate force against the rebels, though, was a clumsy response to the threat.

"Government forces killed numerous civilians through the use of indiscriminate force in Chechnya, and security officials' beatings resulted in numerous deaths," the report said.