At least eight killed during Friday prayers in Alawite area; extremist group claims responsibility as international calls for justice mount.
UNITED NATIONS/PARIS — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned a deadly explosion at a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs, calling the assault “unacceptable” and demanding accountability for those responsible.
The attack, which occurred during Friday prayers at the Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque in a predominantly Alawite district, killed at least eight worshippers and was claimed by the extremist group Saraya Ansar Al-Sunna.
“The Secretary-General reiterates that attacks against civilians and places of worship are unacceptable. He stresses that those responsible must be identified and brought to justice,” UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement.
France similarly denounced the blast as an “act of terrorism,” accusing perpetrators of seeking to destabilize Syria amid fragile political efforts.
“This attack is part of a deliberate strategy aimed at destabilizing Syria and the transition government,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement, warning against attempts to “compromise ongoing efforts to bring peace and stability.”
The Homs bombing marks the second major attack on a Syrian place of worship since Islamist authorities assumed power a year ago. In June, a suicide bombing at a church in Damascus killed 25 people.
In a Telegram statement, Saraya Ansar Al-Sunna claimed its fighters “detonated a number of explosive devices” inside the mosque.
The assault has drawn renewed attention to Syria’s precarious security landscape and the persistent threat posed by militant factions, even as the country navigates a contested political transition.
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