More than a quarter of a million people have been killed in Syria's brutal conflict since it began with anti-government protests over four years ago, a monitoring group said Friday.
Compiled by the British-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground in Syria, the toll is an increase from the 240,000 figure it announced in August.
At least 91,678 pro-government forces - among them 52,077 regime soldiers and other allied Syrian and non-Syrian fighters - have also been killed.
Syria's army is backed by local pro-government militias but also fighters from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran's Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah.
The Syrian conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011 before spiraling into a multi-front war across the country after a brutal regime crackdown.
