A United Nations investigative panel has raised concerns about civilian fatalities in Syria, saying over 700 physicians and medical staff have lost their lives during five years of crisis gripping the Arab country. Paulo Pinheiro, head of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, released the figure in a report published on Tuesday.

Airstrikes on medical facilities across Syria “have resulted in scores of civilian deaths, including much-needed medical workers,” Pinheiro told the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, adding, “More than 700 doctors and medical personnel have been killed in attacks on hospitals since the beginning of the conflict.”

“As civilian casualties mount, the number of medical facilities and staff decreases, limiting even further access to medical care,” he said

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