Blast at Alawite Mosque in Homs Kills Five, Injures Dozens During Friday Prayers

Five people were killed and 21 others were wounded in an explosion at the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib mosque, an Alawite minority place of worship in the Syrian city of Homs, on Friday, according to state news agency SANA. Syrian Health Ministry official Najib al-Naasan said the casualty toll was preliminary and could rise. The blast occurred during the busy Friday noon prayers, local official Issam Naameh told Reuters.

Homs city’s press office said the explosion was caused by an explosive device detonating inside the mosque, prompting security forces to cordon off the area. Footage released by Syrian state media showed rescuers and security personnel inspecting debris scattered across the mosque’s green carpet. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The incident comes amid heightened sectarian tensions in Syria following the ouster of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad last year and the rise of a Sunni-led government. Earlier this month, two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in central Syria in an attack authorities linked to a suspected member of the Islamic State group, underscoring the continued threat of extremist violence in the region.

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