An explosion ripped through a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs during Friday prayers, killing at least eight people and wounding 18 others, the country’s Health Ministry reported.
The explosion tore through the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs’ Wadi al-Dhahab district during Friday prayers. Within minutes, rescue crews were on the scene, helping the wounded and taking them to hospitals nearby, as security forces moved quickly to block access to the area.
State media accounts described the mosque’s interior as heavily damaged. Flames charred the walls, shattered glass covered the floor, and blood stained the prayer rugs. The destruction showed that the blast had gone off right in the main hall as people gathered to pray.
Authorities say the device was planted within the mosque and triggered while congregants were gathered for prayers. An investigation is underway to determine who was behind the attack.
The little-known militant faction Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility, saying it attacked with another unnamed group. In its statement, the group said its members had prepared and hidden the explosives inside the mosque beforehand.
The Wadi al-Dhahab district is predominantly home to members of the Alawite community, a branch of Islam followed by Syria’s ruling minority. The bombing has heightened fears of renewed sectarian violence in the war-torn nation.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry denounced the assault as a “cowardly terrorist act” targeting innocent civilians and aimed at sowing instability. Officials said such violence endangers national unity and undermines ongoing reconstruction efforts.
Analysts say Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah has claimed several recent attacks on religious sites and minority communities. However, little is known about the group’s leaders or origins. Some regional experts note that its rhetoric and tactics resemble those of the Islamic State group, but investigators have found no direct link.
The incident comes as Syria grapples with continuing instability following the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad last year. Assad, who is from the Alawite sect, fled to Russia after losing power and sought asylum there.
Since his departure, Syria has witnessed repeated outbreaks of sectarian violence. Human rights groups have reported the killing of Alawite civilians. They also cited alleged attacks earlier this year in Latakia province on Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
Friday’s deadly blast highlights the country’s fragile security and the constant danger extremist groups pose to places of worship and civilians.
