Eight killed in Syria mosque explosion during Friday prayers

By Eyad Kourdi, Kareem El Damanhoury, and Ibrahim Dahman, CNN

(CNN) — At least eight people were killed and 18 others injured in an explosion targeting a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs on Friday, the country’s health ministry said.

The state news agency SANA reported that “explosive devices” had been planted in the Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb mosque to target worshippers attending Friday prayers.

Videos published by the state news agency showed heavy damage to the interior of the mosque and debris strewn across the floor.

Security units established a cordon around the mosque while the authorities began investigating and collecting evidence into the incident, the interior ministry said.

It was not immediately clear who had carried out the attack, the media office for Homs province said.

A group calling itself Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack soon after on Telegram, but Syrian officials have not publicly commented on their claim.

Survivors of the explosion described scenes of chaos as the blast rocked the mosque as people gathered for Friday prayers.

“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 deadly explosion.

“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.

Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar also condemned the attacks and expressed condolences for the victims.

In a statement, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it denounced attacks “which seek to instill terror and undermine ongoing efforts to establish peace and stability within a unified and pluralistic Syria.”

Gregory Galligan, Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon and Syria, said that Canada “stands in solidarity with the victims and their families, and with all Syrians working to confront violence and extremism.”

Syria has faced an array of security challenges since longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad was deposed last year.

Since then, the country has been beset by sectarian violence as it tries to rebuild and recover from more than a decade of civil war.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa – a former al-Qaeda member – pledged inclusion and vowed to protect all of Syria’s diverse communities, but has been met with hesitation from some groups that continue to see targeted acts of violence.

On Monday, clashes broke out between Syrian army troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Syrian city of Aleppo, as high-level talks continued over plans to integrate the SDF into Syria’s state institutions.

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