Damascus: The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the six bombings that rocked key Syrian cities and killed at least 48 people earlier on Monday. In a statement carried by the group's Amaq news agency, the IS said six of its suicide bombers had carried out bombings in the cities of Tartus, Homs, Hasakah and Damascus.

It said a bomber detonated his explosives at a military checkpoint in the Sabura area in the countryside of Damascus, and another one detonated his explosives at a checkpoint in the central city of Homs. In the predominantly-Kurdish city of Hasakah, the IS said, a bomber carried out a suicide attack against a checkpoint of Kurdish security forces, known as Assayish.