MOSCOW, January 2 (RIA Novosti) – At least 60,000 people have been killed in Syria’s conflict, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has said citing a new analysis released on Wednesday by the United Nations.

A total of 59,648 people were killed in Syria between March 15, 2011 and November 30, 2012, an exhaustive analysis carried out by data specialists on behalf of the UN Human Rights Office showed.

“Given there has been no let-up in the conflict since the end of November, we can assume that more than 60,000 people have been killed by the beginning of 2013,” Pillay said.

“The number of casualties is much higher than we expected, and is truly shocking,” Pillay said.

Earlier reports said up to 30,000 people have been killed in the conflict between government forces and the opposition, which comprises groups of all stripes, from Communists and secular liberals to Islamist groups, including Al-Qaeda.

Western powers have insisted on President Bashar al-Assad’s departure before the formation of a new government of national unity while Russia insisted that the decision be left to the “Syrian people.”