BLOODSHED IN THE HOUSE OF GOD: Eight Killed and 18 Wounded in Brutal Mosque Bombing as Sectarian Tensions TEAR Syria Apart
- Explosive device detonates inside Imam Ali bin Abi Talib mosque in Homs, Syria, during Friday noon prayers
- Ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah claims responsibility for the attack, which has sparked widespread condemnation
- Syrian Foreign Ministry slams the blast as a “terrorist crime” as regional countries including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Qatar join in the condemnation
The war-torn city of Homs was plunged into chaos on Friday when a devastating explosion ripped through a mosque, leaving eight people dead and 18 wounded. The Imam Ali bin Abi Talib mosque, a place of worship for the Alawite minority sect, was targeted during noon prayers, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation.
“It was like a nightmare come true,” said local official Issam Naameh, who described the moment the blast occurred. “The explosion was massive, and the screams of the injured still haunt me.” The Syrian Health Ministry has confirmed the death toll, with officials warning that the figures could rise as the search for survivors continues.
Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, an ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim group, has claimed responsibility for the attack, which has been slammed as a “terrorist crime” by the Syrian Foreign Ministry. The group has a history of violence, having previously claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Damascus church in June that killed 20 people.
The Supreme Alawite Islamic Council has condemned the attack, accusing the Damascus authorities of responsibility and warning that continued violence risks driving the country toward collapse. “This is not just an attack on our community, but on the very fabric of our society,” said a spokesperson for the council.
The blast has sparked widespread condemnation, with regional countries including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Qatar joining in the outrage. The attack is the latest in a series of sectarian violence episodes to rock Syria since the ousting of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad last year.
Syrian state media SANA has published footage of rescuers and security forces examining debris splayed across the mosque’s green carpet, a stark reminder of the devastating impact of the blast. As the country struggles to come to terms with the latest atrocity, one thing is clear: the road to peace and stability in Syria remains fraught with danger.