Toll in Syria civil war over 46,000: Opposition

Of all people killed in the civil war, 85 percent of them -- 39,520 -- died in 2012, according to the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, CNN reported.

In 2011, 6,548 lost their lives, representing 14 percent of the total 46,068 deaths.

And 2013 could bode worse, UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said.

"Do not expect just 25,000 people to die next year -- maybe 100,000 will die. The pace is increasing," Brahimi was quoted as saying.

In the early hours of Jan 1, 2013, clashes and shelling raged in eight Syrian provinces, the Observatory said Tuesday.