ESCALATING

More Than 125 Dead in Syria

In uprising’s bloodiest day, activists say.

Syrian opposition forces have reported the bloodiest 24-hour period since a popular uprising against dictator Bashar al-Assad began more than 15 months ago. Friday’s bloodshed highlights how difficult it is to even count casualties in the embattled country: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 125 civilian deaths, while another activist group tallied 139. Despite the fighting, the opposition scored a victory by capturing two generals, later releasing a video showing the two men. Kofi Annan, the special envoy for the United Nations whose efforts at peace unraveled in recent months, prepared for a Saturday meeting of the five permanent members of the Security Council in Geneva, where he has said he hopes to get derailed peace talks back on track.