DAMASCUS, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) — 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 himself at a military checkpoint in the Sabura area in the countryside of Damascus, and another one detonated himself 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.

In the coastal city of Tartus, three suicide bombers, one with an explosive-laden vehicle and two others with explosive belts, detonated themselves at a checkpoint of the entrance of the city, the statement said.