Monitor: 40,000 Killed in Syria

Well over 40,000 people have been killed in the 20 months since the fighting broke out, according to a violence-monitoring organization. The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that nearly half of the deaths were civilians—and he said that the actual death toll will probably be much higher. “The rebels and the government lie about how many of their forces have died to make it look like they are winning,” he said. Additionally, he noted that 10,000 to 15,000 people have been arrested in recent months and their fates are still unknown. The Observatory has been keeping count since the regime began killing protesters in March 2011.