The Syrian conflict claimed at least 6,800 people in 2020, the lowest annual death toll since it began nearly a decade ago, a war monitor said yesterday. According to figures compiled by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 10,000 people were killed in the conflict in 2019. The deadliest year was 2014, when more than 76,000 people died, according to the UK-based organisation, which has an extensive network of sources on the ground. The overall tally since the start of the conflict has crept up to 387,000, including 117,000 civilians. On Wednesday, fighters from the Islamic State jihadist group ambushed soldiers in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, killing 37 of them.