An explosion at the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs, Syria, during Friday prayers resulted in the deaths of at least eight individuals and injuries to 18 others, according to the health ministry. The mosque is located in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighborhood, an area predominantly inhabited by the Alawite ethnoreligious group. The incident has been claimed by the group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah and condemned by Syria's Foreign Ministry.
Incident Details
The explosion occurred inside the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs' Wadi al-Dhahab neighborhood. Security sources, cited by Syria's state-run news agency Sana, reported that an explosive device was detonated within the building. Photographs released by Sana depicted the mosque's interior with scorched walls, shattered windows, and visible bloodstains on the carpet.
Claim of Responsibility and Official Response
The group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack. The group stated that the operation was carried out in collaboration with an unidentified entity, utilizing explosives planted at the site. Syrian authorities are conducting an investigation into the incident.
Syria's Foreign Ministry issued a statement via X, condemning the event. The ministry characterized it as a "terrorist crime" and an "assault on human and moral values" aimed at disrupting the country's "security and stability."
Group Profile
Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah is described as a Sunni extremist organization. The group gained prominence in June following a claim of responsibility for a church bombing in Damascus. Observers have noted that the group's affiliations and origins are unclear, leading to speculation about potential links to the Islamic State group (IS) due to similarities in operational targets and public messaging.
This incident marks a renewed claim of activity by Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, following a period of reduced reported operations. Previously, the group's alleged activities primarily involved targeted killings of minority populations and individuals described as "remnants" of the former Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad.
Broader Regional Context
The explosion takes place approximately one year after Syrian rebel forces overthrew the government led by Bashar al-Assad. Mr. Assad, an Alawite, belongs to a sect which is an offshoot of Shia Islam and represents one of Syria's largest religious minorities. Following his overthrow, Mr. Assad and his family received asylum in Russia, an ally of the former Syrian government.
Since the government's overthrow, Syria has experienced multiple instances of sectarian violence. Reports indicate that the Alawite community has faced increased fears of reprisal and instances of crackdowns. In March, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a war monitoring group, reported accusations against security forces regarding the deaths of dozens of Alawites in the coastal province of Latakia.