World
At least 40 people have been killed and dozens of others injured after five explosions struck the coastal city of Tartous, the central city of Homs, Damascus, and Kurdish-controlled north-eastern city of Hassakeh in Syria. Most of the casualties were reported in Tartous, which is home to the main Russian airbase in Syria.
A car bomb first hit Tartous, and as rescuers rushed to the site, a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing at least 11 people and wounding 45 others in the city, writes the BBC. Islamic State militants carried out a string of bombings in Tartous earlier in May. Another car bomb went off at a checkpoint in Homs, killing at least two people.
Three Kurdish Y.P.G. militia died after a motorcycle exploded in the center of Hassakeh, reports Reuters. Officials said they are yet to confirm whether the attacks were connected and coordinated.
Monday’s bombings came as Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barak Obama failed to strike a deal for temporary truce in Syria. However, a senior U.S. official said the two leaders have agreed that they would continue to make efforts to reach a comprehensive peace agreement.
