An explosion has killed at least eight people and injured 18 others during Friday prayers inside a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs, the health ministry has stated.
Images released by Syria's state-run news agency, Sana, depict the aftermath within the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque, showing blackened walls, shattered windows, and blood-stained carpets.
Officials suspect that an explosive device was detonated inside the mosque, with security sources confirming the ongoing search for the culprits. In the meantime, the extremist group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah has claimed responsibility for the explosion.
The mosque is located in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighborhood, primarily inhabited by members of the Alawite ethnoreligious group.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry described the act as a terrorist crime in a statement posted on X platform, denouncing the attack as a blatant affront to human and moral values, aimed at undermining national security and stability.
Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, identified as a Sunni extremist group, claimed the assault was executed in conjunction with another unnamed faction, employing explosives strategically placed at the site.
Concerns have been raised regarding the group’s opaque nature and its potential connections to more prominent extremist organizations such as Islamic State, especially given the parallels in their rhetoric and targeting strategies.
This latest attack follows a period of dormancy for Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, which has previously been linked to the targeted killing of minorities in the ongoing sectarian struggle within Syria.
The incident occurs amid a backdrop of escalating sectarian tensions in Syria, where individuals affiliated with the Alawite sect have faced increased violence since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad.
With Assad now residing in Russia and his regime dismantled, fears among Alawites have escalated, prompting concerns over potential reprisals and instability in the region.
Additional reporting by BBC Monitoring
