The British government expressed its deep concern over the number of deaths caused by the war in Syria last year after reports the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned the devastating number of deaths of both civilians and personnel. “I am appalled by news from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that over 76,000 people were killed in Syria last year. This includes almost 18,000 civilians and over 3,500 children,” Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood said. “The Assad regime’s ongoing brutality and its refusal to engage in a meaningful political process continues to drive the conflict and strengthen extremists like ISIL,” he added. “We will continue to support efforts to find a political solution to the conflict, work to alleviate humanitarian suffering and to support the moderate opposition who are working for a Syria – free from the tyranny of both Assad and ISIL,” he noted. (Source: Syrian Coalition)