The Associated Press reports: A Syrian activist group says the death toll in that country’s conflict has reached 140,000.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday the dead from three years of political violence include civilians, rebels, members of the military, pro-government militiamen and foreign fighters.

The group bases its count on a network of informants on the ground.

The group says more than 3,400 people have been killed so far this month, an escalation in the violence even as the government and opposition hold peace talks in Geneva.