At least eight people were killed and eighteen others wounded when a powerful explosion struck the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs, Syria, during the busy Friday noon prayers on December 26, 2025. The blast, caused by explosive devices planted inside the mosque, tore through the main prayer hall, shattering windows, scorching walls, and leaving bloodstains on the carpets as worshippers fled in panic. Syrian security forces quickly established a cordon around the area in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighborhood, a district predominantly inhabited by members of the Alawite religious minority.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the extremist Sunni Muslim group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, which announced the act on its Telegram channels. The same group had previously claimed a deadly suicide bombing at a Christian church in Damascus in June 2025 that killed dozens. Security analysts note that the group's messaging and choice of minority targets bear a close resemblance to the tactics of the Islamic State (ISIS), raising questions about its true affiliations and whether it may be acting as a front for the better-known terrorist organization.
The bombing is seen as a severe escalation in the sectarian violence that has plagued Syria since the overthrow of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad over a year ago. Assad, a member of the Alawite community, an offshoot of Shia Islam that constitutes 10-15% of Syria's population fled to Russia after a rebel offensive. In the political vacuum that followed, Alawite communities have repeatedly been targeted in violent crackdowns and revenge attacks.
The Supreme Alawite Islamic Council, a body representing Alawites, condemned what it called a "systematic campaign" of killings and incitement against their community. In a strong statement, the council held the current Damascus authorities "fully and directly responsible" for these continuing crimes, warning that such acts risk driving the country toward total collapse.
Syria's interim government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, forcefully condemned the attack. The Foreign Ministry denounced it as a "terrorist crime" and a "desperate attempt to undermine security and sow chaos". Government statements framed the violence as the work of a coalition of hostile forces, asserting that "remnants of the former regime, ISIS militants and collaborators have converged on a single goal: obstructing the path of the new state".
The attack drew widespread condemnation from across the region, with countries including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Jordan issuing statements of solidarity with Syria and reaffirming the need to combat terrorism. The bombing underscores the profound security challenges facing Syria's transitional authorities as they struggle to stabilize a country deeply fractured by over a decade of civil war and enduring sectarian fault lines.