Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 2014 was worst of four-year war, with thousands of children among dead

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

More than 76,000 people were killed in Syria’s conflict in 2014, including thousands of children, making it the deadliest year in the nearly four-year war, a monitoring group said on Thursday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had documented the deaths of 76,021 people.

Of the total, 17,790 were civilians, including 3,501 children.

More than 15,000 rebel fighters were killed, as were nearly 17,000 militants from jihadi groups, including Islamic State and al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate.

At least 22,627 government forces – soldiers and members of pro-government militias – were killed, the UK-based group said.

The figures compared with 73,447 in 2013, 49,294 in 2012 and 7,841 in 2011.

More than 200,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-regime protests that spiralled into a war after a government crackdown.

On Wednesday the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, made a rare visit to the frontline, spending New Year’s Eve with troops in a tense eastern Damascus neighbourhood, state media said.

State TV showed him having dinner of baked beans and boiled potatoes with soldiers and pro-government militiamen on Wednesday night in the Jobar neighbourhood, which has seen intense fighting in recent months between troops and opposition fighters.

“On New Year’s Eve families gather, but you decided to be here to protect your country,” Assad told the troops as sporadic gunfire echoed in the background. “I like to be with you on this occasion.”

Assad described rebels who use underground tunnels as “rats”, adding: “We fight them above the ground.”