UN report: Over 2,000 fleeing Syrian have drowned in Mediterranean since 2011 as war grinds on

Paulo Pinheiro, Chairperson/ Member Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, speaks during a press conference about the launch of latest report by the Commission to the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, Sept, 3, 2015. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) (The Associated Press)

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Karen Koning AbuZayd, Member of the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, speaks during a press conference about the launch of latest report by the Commission to the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) (The Associated Press)

Carla del Ponte, Member of the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, speaks during a press conference about the launch of latest report by the Commissionto the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, Sept, 3, 2015. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) (The Associated Press)

GENEVA – A U.N. panel says more than 2,000 Syrians have drowned in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe since 2011, and says there's no end in sight to Syria's civil war.

The U.N. Human Rights Council report says "the global failure to protect Syrian refugees is now translating into a crisis in southern Europe" — amid an increased flow in recent months.

Overall, the 24-page report released Thursday focuses on events from January to June and sheds little new light on the 4½-year conflict.

It highlights abuses by many combatants including President Bashar Assad forces, the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-backed Nusra Front. It says Islamic State has adopted new tactics like hit-and-run attacks and suicide car-bombings following battlefield losses to Kurdish fighters backed by U.S.-led coalition airpower.