Syria, Venezuela have world’s highest violent death rates

 Geneva, May 9: Nearly 25 percent of all violent deaths occur in countries that constitute only 4 percent of the world’s total population, with countries such as Syria, Honduras and Venezuela suffering the worst rates.

The 2015 United tions Development Programme report released on Friday said that violence is actually concentrated in conflict-free countries, as only one-third of the group of the 18 countries with the highest violent death rates witness armed conflict. The comprehensive list of countries with the highest death rates, those with over 30 violent deaths per 100,000 inhabitants is topped by Syria and is followed by Honduras and Venezuela. Syria and Libya topped the list specific to violent death rates in countries suffering armed conflict. The report noted that 508,000 people are killed every year from violence. The figure is composed of about 70,000 deaths as a result of armed conflicts, 377,000 from homicide, 42,000 are results of involuntary manslaughter, and 19,000 are killed by police interventions and military operations. The report said that weapons were used in approximately 197,000 cases of violent death. (IANS)