Civilian Deaths in Syria in September Lowest Since War Began: Observatory

139 civilians killed in September

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 139 civilians were killed in Syria in the month of September. This included 56 children. This is the lowest civilian death toll for a single month since the Syrian War began.

This reflects a declining amount of fighting across populated areas in Syria, with the rebels expelled from the south, and a Russia-Turkey deal intended to prevent an offensive against the Idlib Province.

US airstrikes are also plummeting as well, with the loss of ISIS territory meaning more and more US warplanes are transitioning into Afghanistan. The civilian toll in Afghanistan, subsequently, has been rising substantially.

In September, the Observatory also documented the deaths of 436 rebels, 239 soldiers, and 236 jihadists. Nine other slain were unidentified. These too seem to be on the decline.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.