Overview
- Islamic State issued a claim of responsibility and said it targeted the Alawite community opposed to the provisional authorities.
- The explosion occurred inside a mosque in central Homs shortly after Friday prayers, leaving eight dead and 18 wounded, according to state media.
- The mosque is located in a neighborhood with a large Alawite population and is identified locally with that minority sect.
- The provisional government denounced the bombing as a despicable criminal act aimed at spreading chaos among civilians.
- The attack reflects ongoing sectarian violence under the year‑old provisional administration, with investigations underway and no independent confirmation of the IS claim reported.