Syria death toll now above 100,000, UN says

The death toll from Syria's over-two-year conflict has now reached more than 100,000, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday.

Ban called on the Syrian government and opposition to stop their violent clashes, saying it was "imperative to have a peace conference in Geneva as soon as possible."

He spoke before talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry, who stood by his side.

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"There is no military solution to Syria,'' Kerry told reporters. "There is only a political solution, and that will require leadership in order to bring people to the table."

The United States and Russia are trying to convene the Geneva conference, along with the UN, in order to agree on a transitional government based on a plan made in the same city a year ago.

Kerry said he talked to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday and that both countries are committed to helping both sides of the Syria conflict come together to move forward with peace efforts.

"We will try our hardest to make that happen as soon as is possible," Kerry said.

In June, the UN raised the overall death toll in Syria to 93,000, meaning at least 7,000 people have been killed in the last month, with civilians said to be those suffering the most from attacks.

The UN has, in the past, said its statistics are underestimates, as it believes many deaths are not reported.

Another 1.7 million Syrians have been forced to leave their country and seek safety in neighboring countries.

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