At the end of the Gulf War, retreating Iraqis took about 30,000 Kuwaitis hostage in order to use them as human shields. The target presented doesn't always get identified as such.
Throughout history, civilians have always had higher casualty rates than the men under arms. This is one of the more pedantic reasons one observes refugees departing their homes with no clear destination and why people take up arms to fight....to defend themselves.