An explosion has killed at least eight people and injured 18 others during Friday prayers inside a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs, the health ministry has said.
Pictures from Syria's state-run news agency, Sana, show the inside of the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque with black, scorched walls, smashed windows and blood on the carpet.
Officials believe that an explosive was detonated inside the building, Sana reports, citing a security source. While authorities are still searching for the perpetrators, jihadist group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah has claimed responsibility.
The mosque is in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighbourhood, where most people are part of the Alawite ethnoreligious group.
Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the terrorist crime, stating that the cowardly act is a blatant assault on human and moral values designed to undermine the security and stability of the country.
Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, a Sunni extremist group, has said it carried out the attack in collaboration with an unidentified group, using explosives planted at the site.
The group's obscure origins and vague affiliations have raised questions about its actual links and authenticity, especially since they have previously claimed attacks against minority groups.
The blast comes amid heightened fears among the Alawite community since the fall of Assad's regime, with many concerned about potential reprisals and increased violence.
