At least 140 people are feared dead following multiple explosions in the cities of Homs and Damascus in Syria on Sunday.
Four blasts struck the southern Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab, the location of Syria’s holiest Shia Muslim shrine, killing at least 83 people, state media said.
Earlier in Homs, 57 people, mostly civilians, were killed in a double car bombing, a monitoring group reported.
BYPASS THE CENSORS
Sign up to get unfiltered news delivered straight to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe any time. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use
ISIS have claimed responsibility for both attacks according to reports
RT reports:
Four blasts hit al-Tin Street near the al-Sadr hospital, with two explosions being car bombs and the others suicide bombers, the al-Ikhbariya channel said. According to other reports, there could have been 3 blasts.
The number of casualties is being verified. Hezbollah’s al-Mmanar TV puts the death toll at 22, while the Syrian state TV at 30. Dozens are feared injured.
However, a police source told RIA Novosti, at least 80 people were killed in the blasts, with 200 having been left injured.
Two of the coordinators of the blasts were detained by security forces in the Syrian capital, the source added.
#BREAKING: #Syria: Multiple explosions hit #Damascus district of Sayeda Zeinab – Reps Dead / Injed @Sindhleakpic.twitter.com/k5hOKfmJje
— URGENT NEWS (@UrgentNews911) February 21, 2016
The Islamic State (IS, Daesh, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terror group has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks in Damascus.
The jihadists said two of its suicide bombers blew themselves up in the Sayeda Zeinab district after detonating a car bomb, the Amaq news agency, which supports IS, reported.
Earlier on Sunday, dozens of people were killed and injured in a double bombing attack in Homs. The local governor said that 34 people have died in the explosions, but RIA-Novosti cited a medical source, who said that at least 46 lives were lost, while 110 others were injured.
DEVELOPING: Witnesses report multiple casualtis after double extremist attack in Homs, Syria https://t.co/RFVhwYi4x0pic.twitter.com/WLffnPvZI4
— RT (@RT_com) February 21, 2016
The Syrian Foreign Ministry said the bombing was aimed at derailing the ongoing peace talks between Damascus and rebel forces, and called on the UN Security Council to condemn the attack.
