Eight people were killed Friday in a terrorist attack at a mosque belonging to Syria’s Alawite minority in the city of Homs.
Initial reports said a suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt had blown himself up inside the Imam Ali bin Abi Taleb Mosque in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighborhood of Homs. Later reports, however, said the blast was caused by explosive devices planted inside the mosque. Graphic footage from the scene circulated on social media as Syrian internal security forces sealed off the area.
‘We are following with deep sorrow the terrorist attack against the mosque in Homs, which led to the deaths of innocent people,’ Syria’s Health Ministry said in a statement, adding that 18 others were wounded. ‘Emergency teams arrived at the scene, provided first aid to the injured and evacuated them to hospitals. All available medical resources were mobilized to ensure the best possible treatment.’
Official condemnations of the attack were issued by Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said, ‘We reiterate Qatar’s firm position against violence, terrorism and criminal acts, regardless of motives or causes, and against attacks on places of worship and innocent civilians.’
Syrian Interior Ministry spokesman Nour al-Din al-Baba told the Syrian television network Al-Ikhbariya that ‘a terrorist planted an explosive device that detonated inside the mosque in Homs. We cannot confirm with certainty the identity of the attacker.’
An organization calling itself Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack. The terrorist group was formed about a year ago following the overthrow of Bashar Assad’s regime. In June, the group claimed responsibility for an attack at the Mar Elias Church in Damascus.
In a statement posted on the group’s Telegram channel, Ansar al-Sunna said its operatives, in cooperation with members of another group, detonated several explosive devices inside the Alawite mosque. ‘We declare that our attacks will intensify and will target all infidels,’ the statement said.