Name: Deadly explosion rocks Alawite mosque in Syria’s Homs
Uploaded: 2025-12-26T23:29:36.773Z
Duration: 1 min 25 s
Description: At least eight people were killed in an explosion at a mosque of the Alawite minority sect in the Syrian city of Homs on Friday, Syrian state news agency SANA said.

At least eight people were killed in an explosion at a mosque of the Alawite minority sect in the Syrian city of Homs on Friday, Syrian state news agency SANA said.

Homs‎

A large explosion struck the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib mosque in Homs, Syria, killing at least eight people and injuring more than a dozen, according to Syrian state media. The blast occurred during Friday noon prayers while around 300 worshippers were present, and security forces have since cordoned off the area.

The Sunni group Saray Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channels. Regional countries and Syria's foreign ministry condemned the incident, which comes amid ongoing sectarian violence following the ousting of former leader Bashar al-Assad.

Deadly explosion rocks Alawite mosque in Syria’s Homs

A large explosion at a mosque for the Alawite minority sect in the Syrian city of Homs killed at least eight people on Friday and wounded more than a dozen others. That's according to Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a Syrian health ministry official who said the figures were not final. The city's press office said an explosive device had detonated inside the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib mosque and that security forces had cordoned off the area. Local officials said the blast occurred during Friday noon prayers. Imam Ismail Auddin Shaloum told Reuters around 300 people were gathering, as they usually do every week. Worshippers stood up to pray, and then a huge fiery explosion took place. An ultra-conservative Sunni group in Syria known as Saray Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack on its telegram channels. The group previously claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Damascus church in June that killed 20 people. Syria's foreign ministry condemned the blast as a terrorist crime. Regional countries including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Qatar also condemned the attack. Syria has been rocked by several episodes of sectarian violence targeting Alawites. Since longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, who belongs to the religious minority, was ousted by a rebel offensive last year. He was replaced by a government led by members of the Sunni Muslim majority.

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