16 killed in Syria blasts

Sixteen people have been killed and 35 others injured in two “terrorist explosions” in the predominantly Kurdish city of Qamishli in north-eastern Syria, the state news agency has reported.

The Sana news agency said the blasts happened in the Shiyahi area of the city, a Christian neighbourhood in the predominantly Kurdish city, late on Wednesday

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the bombs went off in two restaurants in the city centre, near a security point run by government troops.

The Islamic State group has been fighting Kurdish fighters in Syria since last year and the extremists have carried out dozens of suicide attacks against the Kurds, with several in Qamishli itself.

The Kurdish fighters, aided by US-led air strikes, have also captured significant territory from IS in northern Syria.