Report: 1,271 civilians killed in Syria in 2021

At least 1,271 civilians, including 229 children, 134 women and 104 victims of torture were killed in Syria in 2021, the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) announced in its monthly report.

The report noted that 69 civilians, including 16 children, seven women and seven victims of torture were documented killed in Syria in December 2021.

The casualty numbers are among the largest worldwide, demonstrating the instability of the situation in Syria, and underlining the fact that it is still the most dangerous country in the world for civilians, and remains “exceptionally insecure and dangerous place” for the return of refugees, the organisation explained.

The Syrian-Russian military campaign targeting Jabal Al Zaweya area and its surroundings between June and September resulted in the death of 61 civilians, including 33 children and 12 women, SNHR said.

“Daraa saw a military escalation by Syrian regime forces backed by Iranian militias, in retaliation for its people’s peaceful and civilised rejection of the illegitimacy of the ‘presidential elections’ held unilaterally by the Syrian regime at the end of May,” the report added.

Civilians are also being killed as a result of landmines in different governorates, with SNHR documenting the deaths of 176 civilians, including 74 children and 25 women, last year.

Seven medical personnel were also killed in 2021, along with three Civil Defence personnel and one media worker.

READ: Four Syrian refugees die from burning coal for heat in Lebanon