It does seem a little excessive compared to other areas at first glance, however, the area was fought over several times, subjected to a number of strategic nukes (and uncounted tac nukes), which would probably account for a large number of that 97% simply moving away from the area as refugees. The remainder would be attributable to disease, starvation, exposure, and all the other causes of death found everywhere in the world.
I would probably estimate only half were actual fatalities, the rest just found a better place to be.
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