Syria: Mosque Explosion in Homs – At Least 8 Dead

At least eight people have been killed in an explosion at a mosque belonging to the Alawite minority in the city of Homs, Syria, according to the Syrian news agency SANA. The incident occurred during Friday prayers.

The Syrian Interior Ministry reported that 21 people were injured. According to the Homs press office, an explosive device detonated inside the Ali bin Abi Talib mosque. Security forces have cordoned off the area.

No organization has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH) is investigating whether the explosion was caused by a suicide attack or an explosive device.

The city of Homs has a predominantly Sunni population but also includes neighborhoods inhabited by Alawites. The Alawite minority is the community from which President Bashar al-Assad comes.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, calling it a "desperate attempt" to destabilize the country.