More than 11,000 children have been killed in the nearly three-year civil war in Syria , including young boys and girls who were tortured and executed , according to a report from a London-based think tank . The Oxford Research Group said that most of the 11,420 children reported dead were killed in explosions , and many others were shot to death . Teenage boys were most likely to be the victims of targeted killings , according to the report , entitled `` Stolen Futures : The Hidden Toll of Child Casualties in Syria . '' `` What is most disturbing about the findings of this report is not only the sheer numbers of children killed in this conflict , but the way they are being killed , '' co-author Hana Salama said in a statement . More than 1,000 children were either summarily executed ( 764 ) or killed by snipers ( 389 ) , the report found . Some 112 children , even infants , were tortured before being killed . And what 's worse , deaths of children are `` mounting , '' the report said . Both Syrian troops and rebel groups have been blamed for targeting civilians . `` The world needs to take a much closer interest in the effects of the conflict on Syria 's children , '' Salama said . The report authors called for the warring sides to stop using explosives in places where children live and play . The Oxford Research Group said Aleppo Governorate was the site of the most child deaths , with 2,223 . The statistics are taken from the casualty lists of Syrian organizations from March 2011 to August 2013 and include only named victims . In June , the United Nations said at least 6,500 children had been killed since the start of the war . `` There are ... well-documented cases of individual children being tortured and executed , and entire families , including babies , being massacred , '' U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said at the time . The overall death toll topped 100,000 in late July , the U.N. announced . The U.N. says that more than 2.1 million people have fled Syria , which has about 22.5 million residents .
The report says 112 children were tortured , then executed . Many kids were gunned down by snipers , but most were killed in explosions . London-based study authors call for sides to stop using bombs in areas with children . Comment: