Explosion at Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs Kills Eight
An explosion inside the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs during Friday prayers killed at least eight people and injured 18, according to Syria's health ministry.
The attack took place in the Wadi al-Dhahab district, an area predominantly inhabited by the Alawite ethnoreligious group.
Authorities report that an explosive device detonated inside the mosque, and investigations are ongoing to identify those responsible.
The militant group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it collaborated with another unidentified group to carry out the bombing using planted explosives.
Analysts have raised questions regarding the origins of Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, with some observers speculating possible links to the Islamic State, although this remains unconfirmed.
Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the incident as a terrorist crime intended to destabilize the country's security and stability.
The attack occurs amid persistent sectarian tensions in Syria; Alawites, a Shia offshoot, constitute a prominent minority who have faced reprisals in the past.
Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah had previously launched attacks after a period of relative inactivity, including a deadly bombing at a church in Damascus, though authorities have not confirmed direct connections between the incidents.
Following the blast, security forces maintained a presence outside the mosque to guard the area.
