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ISIS claims deadly Syria bombings

Bombings targeted the government stronghold of Tartus, home to a Russian naval base, as well as a heavily guarded Damascus suburb and a military post in the central city of Homs.

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A double bombing hit the Arzuna bridge in the northwestern coastal city of Tartus.

At least 30 persons were killed on Monday in twin bombings that rocked a checkpoint at the entrance to Syria’s Tartus city, officials said.

The state television, SANA also reported a blast in the Sabbourah suburb of Damascus.

State television also reported an explosion along the al-Sobura/al-Bija road outside Damascus.

A auto bomb meanwhile struck Homs, a city around 80 km (50 miles) east of Tartous which has repeatedly been hit by bombings claimed by Islamic State.

No groups have yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Islamic State is not present in Aleppo, insurgent sources say, but mainstream rebels and hardline Islamist factions both are, including Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formally affiliated to al Qaeda until it severed ties with the jihadist movement in July. This week Turkish troops and Syrian rebels drove IS back from the last stretch of Syria’s northern border under its control, severing key supply lines to the extremist group’s self-styled caliphate.

The operation – dubbed “Euphrates Shield” – pushed further into IS territory on Monday and captured another five villages, the Observatory said.

Turkey began an operation inside Syria on 24 August targetting not only IS but also Syrian Kurdish forces that have been a key U.S. partner in the fight against the jihadist group in Syria. No terrorist group claimed responsibility for the blasts, however, Islamic State (Isis) has previously frequently targeted multiple areas which were affected by the blasts on Monday.

Ankara has demanded that Kurdish militia fighters remain east of the Euphrates river, something Washington has promised they will do.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also at the G20, said he had urged world powers to create a “safe zone” in Syria, with a “no-fly” element, that would help control the flow of migrants.

A deal would depend on Moscow using its influence with Syrian President Bashar Assad to persuade him to ground planes and stop the assault on opposition forces.

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Hopes had been raised that a deal would be announced over the weekend, but USA officials said it floundered after Russian Federation backtracked. “If an agreement can be reached, we want to do so urgently, because of the humanitarian situation. However, we must ensure that it is an effective agreement”, a senior United States administration official said.

Four blasts hit government-held parts of Syria: state media, monitor