8 Dead in Syria Mosque Blast: Sectarian Violence Shadows One Year After Assad's Fall

A sanctuary turned into a scene of carnage during Friday prayers. On December 26, 2025, an explosion inside a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs killed at least eight people and injured 18 others. Syria's state-run news agency, Sana, reported that the device was detonated inside the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque, leaving behind scorched walls and blood-stained carpets.

Extremist Group Claims Responsibility for Targeted Strike

The Sunni extremist group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it collaborated with another group to plant the explosives. The mosque is situated in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighborhood, a stronghold for the Alawite community. Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the act as a "terrorist crime" designed to undermine the country's fragile stability.

Assad’s Legacy and the Rising Tide of Reprisals

This attack comes exactly one year after rebel forces overthrew Bashar al-Assad, who is himself an Alawite. Since his departure to Russia, the minority sect has faced numerous waves of sectarian violence. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), security forces were accused of killing dozens of Alawites in Latakia earlier this year, highlighting the precarious position of minorities in the new Syria.