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A fatal explosion struck a mosque in a predominantly Alawite neighborhood of Homs, Syria, on Friday, resulting in at least six fatalities, according to authorities. The Syrian Interior Ministry reported that a terrorist attack targeted the Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque on Al-Khadri Street in the Wadi al-Dahab district during Friday prayers, injuring 21 others. Heavy sectarian violence had previously plagued Homs during Syria’s civil war.
Syria’s official news agency, Sana, indicated that an investigation into the cause of the blast is underway. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) stated that it’s not immediately clear whether the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber or an improvised explosive device. An anonymous security source in Homs suggested the explosion might have been caused by a device planted inside the mosque, while residents described hearing a loud blast that caused chaos and panic in the neighborhood, with emergency sirens echoing nearby.
Images from inside the mosque show a large hole in one of the walls, with black smoke billowing inside and debris such as scattered carpets and books on the ground. Nearby, the aftermath revealed damage to the area’s infrastructure with smoke and debris evident.
Since the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power in 2024, reports from both the SOHR and local residents have documented increased kidnapping and killings targeting minority communities in Homs. In March, violence against Alawite civilians occurred in Syria’s coastal regions, with authorities accusing armed supporters of Assad of initiating the violence. The death toll among the minority during that period was estimated at over 1,700, with some reports citing a minimum of 1,426 killed during the incidents.
The violence highlights ongoing sectarian tensions and instability within the region.
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