At least eight people were killed and 18 others injured after an explosion struck the Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb mosque in Homs, Syria, during Friday prayers, the country’s health ministry confirmed.
The state-run news agency SANA reported that “explosive devices” had been planted inside the mosque, targeting worshippers attending the prayers.
Videos released by SANA showed extensive damage to the mosque’s interior, with debris scattered across the floor.
Authorities quickly established a security cordon around the site, with investigators collecting evidence into the incident, the interior ministry said.
The perpetrators remain unknown, according to Homs province’s media office.
A group identifying itself as Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack via Telegram, though Syrian officials have not publicly commented on the claim.
Survivors recounted scenes of panic and devastation as the blast hit. “With the first prostration came a huge explosion. People were all on the floor, some had their heads blown off.
Those on the right were affected the most. Many were injured and fled and there was a huge crowd,” Bashar Al-Issa told SANA.
Syria’s information minister, Hamza al-Mustafa, condemned the attack. “It has become clear to everyone that the remnants of the Assad regime, ISIS elements, and agents converge on one objective: obstructing the path of the new state by destabilizing security, disrupting civil peace, and undermining the shared living and common destiny of Syrians throughout the ages,” al-Mustafa said.
The attacks were widely condemned internationally. Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar expressed condolences for the victims.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced attacks “which seek to instill terror and undermine ongoing efforts to establish peace and stability within a unified and pluralistic Syria.”
Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon and Syria, Gregory Galligan, added: “Canada stands in solidarity with the victims and their families, and with all Syrians working to confront violence and extremism.”
Syria has struggled with ongoing security challenges since the overthrow of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad last year. Sectarian violence continues to plague the nation as it attempts to recover from over a decade of civil war.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda member, has pledged inclusion and protection for all of Syria’s diverse communities, though skepticism remains among some groups who continue to face targeted acts of violence.
Tensions persist in other regions as well. On Monday, clashes erupted between Syrian army troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in Aleppo, amid high-level talks on integrating the SDF into Syria’s state institutions.
