An extremist group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility on Friday for a deadly bombing inside a mosque in the central Syrian city of Homs, killing at least eight people, according to Syrian authorities.

 

Attack details

Agence France-Presse cited a statement published by the group on Telegram, in which it said it carried out the bombing inside a mosque while worshippers were present.

  

The report said the group emerged after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024, following the liberation of Damascus by opposition forces, signaling the rise of new security threats during Syria’s transitional phase.

 

Pattern of attacks

The bombing recalls a series of earlier attacks attributed to the same group. It previously claimed responsibility for a suicide attack targeting a church in Damascus in June, according to AFP.

 

Analysts say the group appears to be deliberately targeting places of worship in an attempt to undermine stability and inflame sectarian tensions.

 

Ongoing investigations

Syrian security forces said investigations are continuing to determine the full circumstances of the attack and to track down those involved, with the aim of preventing further incidents.

 

The bombing drew widespread condemnation at both the local and regional levels, with officials describing it as a grave violation of religious freedom and a serious threat to civil peace as Syria seeks to move beyond years of conflict.