Deadly mosque blast in Homs leaves eight dead
Syria’s foreign ministry denounced the attack as a desperate bid to destabilize the country and spread fear and chaos.
At least eight people were killed and more than 18 others injured when a powerful explosion ripped through an Alawite mosque in Syria’s central Homs province on Friday, shattering the calm of weekly prayers and sending shockwaves through the already fragile city.
The blast struck the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in the Wadi al-Dahab neighbourhood during Friday prayers, according to Syria’s state news agency, SANA. Worshippers had gathered inside the mosque when the explosion tore through a corner of the main prayer hall, triggering scenes of panic and confusion as survivors rushed to escape the smoke-filled building.
Verified footage broadcast by Al Jazeera showed terrified worshippers fleeing the mosque, some carrying the wounded in their arms while others placed bloodied victims onto stretchers. Several injured people were seen wrapped in cloaks as they were rushed into waiting ambulances, while anguished relatives shouted names, searching for loved ones amid the chaos.
Inside the mosque, the scale of the destruction was stark. The explosion left a small crater in one of the walls of the prayer hall, with scorch marks spreading across the surrounding area. Prayer carpets were torn and strewn across the floor, mixed with chunks of masonry, shattered glass, and scattered religious books. The once-quiet space of worship bore the unmistakable scars of violence, underscoring the brutality of the attack.
Local officials told the Reuters news agency that the blast may have been caused either by a suicide bomber or by explosives planted inside the mosque, though the exact nature of the attack remains under investigation. Syria’s Interior Ministry said security forces quickly sealed off the area, imposing a cordon around the neighbourhood while forensic teams began examining the site.
Ayman Oghanna, Al Jazeera’s correspondent who visited the mosque shortly after the explosion, said the attack appeared carefully timed to maximize casualties and fear. “Government forces are surrounding the mosque and an investigation team has gone inside,” he reported, adding that the incident was likely intended to inflame sectarian tensions in Homs, a city known for its religious and ethnic diversity.
Homs has long been a symbolic and strategic battleground in Syria’s years-long conflict, and although large-scale fighting has subsided, sporadic violence continues to threaten fragile stability. Attacks on places of worship are particularly sensitive, often reverberating far beyond the immediate loss of life and deepening mistrust between communities.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the bombing, describing it as a “desperate attempt to undermine security and sow chaos.” In a statement, officials said such attacks would not weaken the country’s resolve to restore stability and protect civilians, while urging Syrians not to be drawn into sectarian strife.
Adding to the gravity of the incident, a group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement circulated online, the group warned that its operations would “continue and escalate,” raising fears of further violence. The claim has not yet been independently verified, and authorities have not commented directly on the group’s statement.
For residents of Homs, the bombing reopened painful memories of years of war and bloodshed. Many locals expressed fear that renewed attacks could drag the city back into a cycle of violence just as daily life had begun to show signs of recovery. As funerals are prepared and the injured fight to recover, the city is once again left grappling with grief, uncertainty, and the haunting question of whether peace can truly take hold.