Fifty-six UN peacekeepers were killed in 2017, said Secretary General of the World Organization Antonio Guterres.

“In 2017, there had been 56 fatalities at the time of publication - the highest number since 1994. These numbers go beyond a normal or acceptable level of risk, and they are likely to rise even higher. Something needs to change to reverse the trend,” said the report directed by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

According to the report, since 1948 more than 3,500 peacekeeperswere dead, 943 of them were killed because of violent actions.

“During the past four years (2013 - 2017) a consistent increase in peacekeeper fatalities due to violent acts resulted in 195 deaths,” the report read.