six blasts hit Syria's major cities

At least 140 people have been killed in six blasts across the Syrian cities of Damascus and Homs. So called Islamic State has claimed responsibilit. At least 50 people died in explosions near a Shia shrine in Damascus. Earlier attackers targetted the city of Homs, where the British based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said two car bombs had killed at least 57 people in an area predominantly loyal to the Syrian government. Homs was one of the early centres of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, which began in 2011, but it is now back in government hands. ###