At least 109 journalists died in targeted killings, bombs or crossfire in 2015, according to the latest survey documenting the lethal dangers facing journalists around the world.

The International Federation of Journalists recorded 109 killings across 30 countries, plus three accidental deaths. It marks a small drop from last year when 118 killings and 17 accidents were recorded.

The study found that the Americas suffered the largest number of killed journalists during the year, with 27 dead, largely due to the targeted killing of journalists by drug traffickers.

The Middle East was second, with increasing numbers of killings in Iraq and Yemen contributing to 25 deaths, while seven deaths in the Philippines drove the total for Asia Pacific to 21, despite a fall in violence in Pakistan leading to a fall in the region.

Africa was the fourth most dangerous region, with 19 dead, followed by Europe with 16. However, France topped the list of individual countries due to the attacks on the offices of Charlie Hebdo in January. The satirical magazine announced on Thursday that it was printing 1m copies of a special edition of the magazine on 6 January to mark the anniversary of the killings.

The figures differ from those published earlier this week by the Committee for the Protection of Journalists, which use different criteria and verification processes.

The IFJ president, Jim Boumelha, urged the UN to do more to enforce international law protecting journalists around the world.

“The attacks in Paris shocked the world and put on the world stage the tragedy of the drip-drip slaughter of journalists worldwide, which are today the only professional group that pays so dearly for just doing the job,” said Boumelha.

“Sadly, there were scores of unreported killings and unless the journalist is a well-known bylined correspondent the world barely notices. Journalism is put daily to the sword in many regions of the world, where extremists, drug lords and reckless warring factions continue murdering journalists with impunity.”

•Sourced from The Guardian (London).

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