Death toll rises to 49 in bombing attack on Syrian Kurds

BEIRUT,March 21 : The head of Syria's Kurdish Red Crescent says the death toll from a twin bombing targeting Kurds celebrating their new year in the northeastern city of Hassakeh has risen to 49.


Egid Ibrahim says the Friday evening blasts also wounded 177 others, some of whom remain in critical condition.

Ibrahim told The Associated Press on Saturday by telephone that the first blast was caused by a bomb planted in the area while the second was a car driven by a suicide bomber.

Kurdish officials and activists have blamed the Islamic State group for the bombing; Kurdish fighters have been battling Islamic State militants in northeastern Syria for months.

The bombings were the deadliest in Hassakeh since Syria's crisis began in March 2011.

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