War plunged 80% of Syrians into poverty: UN report

A man smokes a cigarette as he stands on the rubble of damaged buildings at a site hit on Tuesday by what activists said were airstrikes by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the rebel-controlled area of Deir al-Asafir town, near Damascus, March 11, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

UNITED NATIONS - A new UN-backed report says the war in Syria has plunged 80 percent of its people into poverty, reduced life expectancy by 20 years, and led to massive economic losses estimated at over $200 billion since the conflict began in 2010.

The report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research circulated Wednesday paints a devastating picture of the "systematic collapse and destruction" of Syria's economic foundations.

The result, it said, is an alienated population and a government with waning sovereignty over its territory and resources, extremely high inflation and mass unemployment.

The report was supported by the UN Development Program and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.