DAMASCUS, Feb. 22 (FN) — The Islamic State (IS) militant group has claimed responsibility for the deadly bombings, which rocked the central province of Homs and the capital Damascus on Sunday, killing over 140 people.

In online statements, the IS group said it had carried out the bombings in the 60-Street at the al-Zahra' neighborhood in the central province of Homs, which killed over 57 people and wounded tens of others.

Al-Zahra' is inhabited by people of the Alwaite minority, to whom the ruling elite in Syria belong, which explains why it was targeted by the IS group, which showed zero tolerance to other sects, let alone the sect that is accused of supporting the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

The oppositional Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 39 of those killed in Homs were civilians, including a child and 11 women.

Meanwhile, the group also claimed responsibility for the triple bombings that rocked the Shiite district of Sayyidah Zaynab in south of the capital Damascus, killing 83 people.

= FRESH NEWS