Damascus: The Syrian civil war has claimed the lives of more than 528,500 people since its eruption in 2011, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Wednesday. The staggering toll includes thousands whose deaths were only recently confirmed, as greater access to detention centres and mass graves has been achieved following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The Britain-based Observatory stated that 6,777 people were killed in 2024 alone, with more than half being civilians. Among them were 240 women and 337 children, highlighting the ongoing tragedy of innocent lives lost amidst the conflict. Combatants made up 3,179 of the fatalities, including regime soldiers, Islamist factions, and fighters.
The year 2023 also witnessed harrowing violence, with 4,360 people killed, nearly 1,900 of whom were civilians. This unrelenting loss of life underscores the protracted and devastating nature of Syria’s civil war, which began with the brutal suppression of pro-democracy protests in 2011.
The Observatory’s findings reveal the horrifying extent of suffering endured by detainees in Assad’s prisons. Since the conflict began, more than 64,000 individuals have perished in detention due to torture, medical neglect, or the appalling conditions of the facilities.
In December 2023, a significant turning point was marked by the overthrow of Assad’s regime, ending over five decades of iron-fisted rule by the Assad family. However, the transition has yet to bring peace to the war-torn nation. Instead, sporadic clashes between various factions continue to claim lives and hinder reconstruction efforts.
The war has left a scarred nation, with millions displaced both internally and abroad, and foreign powers vying for influence. For the Muslim Ummah, Syria’s plight stands as a sombre reminder of the cost of tyranny and division, and the urgent need for justice and reconciliation.
