Over 140 People Dead in Syria After Multiple Bombing Attacks, Islamic State Claims Responsibility

May 24, 2016 06:49 AM EDT

Syrian Kurds Battle IS To Retain Control Of Kobani

(Photo : Gokhan Sahin/Getty Images) An explosion rocks Syrian city of Kobani during a reported suicide car bomb attack by the militants of Islamic State (ISIS) group on a People's Protection Unit (YPG) position in the city center of Kobani, as seen from the outskirts of Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border, October 20, 2014 in Sanliurfa province, Turkey.

More than 140 people have died in two bombings in Syria on Monday. The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which were carried out almost simultaneously in Jableh and Tartus.

The first attack was in the city of Jableh, and one hundred people were killed. The other attack took place in Tartus and 48 people died. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group has confirmed the reports. Jableh and Tartus are two of the strongholds of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. There was a total of seven bombings in the two attacks, and most of them were suicide attacks.

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The head of the Observatory Rami Abdel Rahman said in a statement that the bombings were two of the deadliest attacks since IS militants started waging war on the country in March of 2011. Around 270,000 people have been killed in Syria since the war erupted.

IS claimed responsibility for the attacks via news agency called Amaq. In a story, the militants said that their jihadists attacked "Alawite gatherings" in the two areas. It appears the blasts were meant to send a message to locals and to the al-Assad regime that no city is safe. Jableh and Tartus have been the cities where thousands of internally displaced residents have fled from the violence in the other parts of the country.

The attacks centered on busy areas of the city such as schools and gas stations. Many students could have been killed as they reportedly just finished taking their examinations when the bomb attacks were carried out. It was also a busy time, and more than 100 cars were on the streets in the areas where the bombings took place.

Russian President Vladimir Putin talked about the bombings saying that it demonstrates how fragile the situation is in Syria. Putin gave his condolences to the Syrian president for the civilian deaths. The Russian President also said that his country is ready to continue its support for the Syrian government.

IS militants also claimed responsibility for bombings in Aden, Yemen. The twin bombings killed 41 people. The first attacks killed 34, which was done at a recruitment center near the Badr base. Another killed seven soldiers inside the base.

TagsIslamic State, Syria bombings, Tartus, Jableh, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, 148 deaths