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Mar 12, 2018 - World

2017 was Syria's deadliest year for children

Zachary Basu
Syrian child

A Syrian child walking down a street in the rebel-held town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta. Photo by HAMZA AL-AJWEH/AFP/Getty Images.

910 children were killed in Syria in 2017, a 50% increase from 2016 and the most of any year since the war began in 2011, according to a new report from UNICEF. Conflict is now considered the leading cause of death for Syrian adolescents.

Why it matters: With no end in sight to the seven-year war, a humanitarian crisis in Syria continues to devolve into unspeakable tragedy. There are now more than 1 million Syrian children who have only ever known a lifetime of war.

More findings:

  • In the first two months of 2018, 1,000 children were reportedly killed or injured.
  • The UN verified 175 attacks on education and medical facilities in 2017.
  • An estimated 3.3 million Syrian children are currently exposed to explosive hazards, including landmines.
  • Over 1.5 million Syrians are now living with permanent disabilities from war-related injuries.
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