Syrian citizens gather at the scene where two blasts exploded in the pro-government neighborhood of Zahraa, in Homs province on Sunday.(Photo: SANA, AP)
The Islamic State carried out a series of bomb attacks<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in Syria that killed nearly 130 people<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Sunday,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>as<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. and Russia reached a “provisional agreement” for a cease-fire that could begin in a few days.
At least 83 people died and more than 170 others were wounded from<span style="color: Red;">*</span>blasts in a Damascus suburb, the official SANA news agency said. The bombs went off near schools during the afternoon rush hour, SANA reported.
Earlier, a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>double-car bombing in the central city of Homs killed at least 46 people and wounded dozens, Syria's Foreign Ministry said.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The Britain-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the death toll in Homs was 57.
Reuters described the scene in Homs as<span style="color: Red;">*</span>widespread devastation with charred corpses, damaged store fronts,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>cars on fire, plumes of black smoke and wounded or dazed people walking through the area.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for both bombings in Homs and outside Damascus.
Kerry, speaking in Amman with Jordan's foreign minister, was<span style="color: Red;">*</span>hopeful about new<span style="color: Red;">*</span>momentum in negotiations to temporarily halt the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>hostilities in war-torn Syria.
"I do believe that in the next few days, during which time we try to bring this into effect, there is somehow going to be a tipping point," Kerry said at a news conference.
A possible cease-fire negotiated earlier by the U.S. and Russia<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was supposed to go into effect on Friday but did not happen.
Kerry said he spoke<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Sunday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about speeding up the process. Kerry said he expects<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Russia to talk with Iran and Syrian President Bashar<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Assad, while the U.S. would speak with opposition forces in Syria. He also<span style="color: Red;">*</span>expected President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the issue.
"A cease-fire requires an understanding of obligations," Kerry told reporters. "You have to be specific about who is doing what, about what is required of each. ... We are very clear that if you don't choose to be part of it, then you are choosing to perhaps make yourself a target."
Kerry said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>limited humanitarian aid has reached the suburbs of Damascus caught between warring factions where people are starving. Some 114 trucks full of aid have reached five areas in the past few days, he<span style="color: Red;">*</span>said.
Assad said in remarks published Sunday that his government was ready for a cease-fire as long as "terrorists" did not use it as an opportunity.
“It’s about preventing other countries, especially Turkey, from sending more recruits, more terrorists, more armaments, or any kind of logistical support to those terrorists,” Assad said in English in the interview with<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Spain’s
El Pais newspaper that was also carried by the state news agency SANA.
Assad’s government refers to all groups battling to overthrow the regime<span style="color: Red;">*</span>as terrorists.
A key opposition umbrella group, the High Negotiations Committee, also said Saturday it was could agree to stop<span style="color: Red;">*</span>fighting.
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