June 28, 2022
Cited press release by the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR)
HRRC reminds countries in conflict that civilians should never be targeted. The account of lives lost in Syria as a direct result of the ongoing conflict is extremely disheartening. The data collected and reported by the United Nations is valuable in quantifying the deaths over the course of the conflict, however, countless more have died outside of direct warfare body counts. This report serves as a reminder for countries to take increased measures to ensure civilians are safe and their well-being protected.
Article Summary
The United Nations published a report stating that between March 1, 2011 and March 31, 2021, an estimated 306,887 civilians were killed as a result of the ongoing conflict. This is the highest estimate to date of conflict-related civilian deaths in Syria. A total of 143,350 civilian deaths were documented through various sources of information which included their full names and the date and location of their deaths. The further 163,537 deaths were identified using statistical estimation techniques that provided links where there were gaps in available information.
These deaths are those who were killed as a direct result of the ongoing warfare and do not include those who died as a byproduct of the conflict. Considerably more died due to a loss of access to healthcare, food, clean water, and other human rights that have a direct impact on life and well-being.
The 306,887 deaths account for 1.5 % of the entire population of the Syrian Arab Republic at the beginning of the conflict.