Islamic State claims responsibility for twin suicide bombs in Beirut

The Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in Beirut on Thursday that killed at least 37 and wounded hundreds more.

The claims were made in various statement circulated on Twitter and the Telegram messaging app. The militant group said it detonated a motorcycle bomb and then, as witnesses rushed to the scene minutes later, a suicide bomber detonated another deadly blast on the crowd.

Those claims have not yet been verified.

An official with the Lebanese Red Cross said the bombs, which went off in an area called Burj al-Barajneh during rush hour, killed at least 37 and wounded 180, The Associated Press reported.

But the toll could be much greater. Lebanese Health Minister Weal Abu Faour told CNN at least 41 people have been killed and 200 or more have been wounded.

The bombed area is one of the biggest and most well-known Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, according to the state-run National News Agency.

The area is also known to be a stronghold of Hezbollah. The Iran-backed Shi militant group is currently fighting the Islamic State, a Sunni-dominated group, in Iraq and Syria.

Citing a local security official, AP reported a third bomber was found dead while wearing an intact suicide vest, possibly an unintended victim of the second bomber’s blast.