Hundreds Gather to Mourn Bombing Victims in Homs, Syria
HOMS, Syria – In the wake of a tragic bombing, hundreds of mourners braved rain and cold on Saturday to gather outside a mosque in Homs, Syria. The attack claimed the lives of eight people and wounded 18 others. A local religious leader warned the attack could stir up more sectarian strife.
The Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque, the site of Friday’s bombing, is located in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighborhood, an area with a large Alawite population. Alawites are a minority group. After the service, mourners traveled together to bury the deceased.
While officials investigate, a little-known group called Saraya Ansar al-Sunna has claimed responsibility, stating their target was the Alawite community.
A neighbor, identified as Abu Ahmad, recounted hearing a powerful explosion and rushing to the mosque to assist the wounded.
Sheikh Mohieddin Salloum, the mosque’s imam who sustained minor injuries, stated that while the mosque is Alawite, it welcomes Muslims from all backgrounds.
Salloum voiced concerns that the bombing was designed to reignite sectarian conflict in a nation struggling to recover after years of civil war and the ouster of former President Bashar Assad in December 2024. Assad’s departure has not brought peace.
Although anger was present among the Alawite mourners, the imam urged restraint, fearing a cycle of retaliatory violence.
Since Assad’s fall, Syria has experienced multiple instances of sectarian clashes.
Syrian government officials have condemned the attack and promised to bring those responsible to justice.
Mourners were forced to pray outside the mosque as authorities secured the area. Some chanted “Ya Ali,” honoring the Prophet Muhammad’s relative, a significant figure in Shiite Islam.
