Eight killed in Syria mosque explosion during Friday prayers

<i>Omar Haj Kadour/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource</i><br/>Armed men stand near holy Muslim Quran books and broken glass following an explosion inside Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in the Syrian city of Homs on December 26

By CNN Newsource

Published December 26, 2025 10:09 AM

By Eyad Kourdi, Kareem El Damanhoury, and Ibrahim Dahman, CNN

(CNN) — At least eight people were killed and 18 others injured in an explosion targeting a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs on Friday, the country’s health ministry said.

The state news agency SANA reported that “explosive devices” had been planted in the Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb mosque to target worshippers attending Friday prayers.

Videos published by the state news agency showed heavy damage to the interior of the mosque and debris strewn across the floor.

Security units established a cordon around the mosque while the authorities began investigating and collecting evidence into the incident, the interior ministry said.

It was not immediately clear who had carried out the attack, the media office for Homs province said.

A group called Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack soon after, but Syrian officials have not publicly commented on their claim.

Survivors of the explosion described scenes of chaos as the blast rocked the mosque as people gathered for Friday prayers.

“With the first prostration came a huge explosion. People were all on the floor, some had their heads blown off. Those on the right were affected the most. Many were injured and fled and there was a huge crowd,” Bashar Al-Issa told SANA.

Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar condemned the attacks and expressed condolences for the victims.

Syria has faced an array of security challenges since longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad was deposed last year.

Since then, the country has been beset by sectarian violence as it tries to rebuild and recover from more than a decade of civil war.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa – a former al-Qaeda member – pledged inclusion and vowed to protect all of Syria’s diverse communities, but has been met with hesitation from some groups that continue to see targeted acts of violence.

On Monday, clashes broke out between Syrian army troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Syrian city of Aleppo, as high-level talks continued over plans to integrate the SDF into Syria’s state institutions.