At least eight killed during Friday prayers in Alawite district; Guterres calls for accountability as Paris warns of deliberate destabilization campaign.
UNITED NATIONS/PARIS — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres demanded justice on Saturday for the perpetrators of a deadly bombing at a mosque in Homs, Syria, that killed at least eight worshippers during Friday prayers.
The attack targeted the Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque in a predominantly Alawite neighborhood of the central Syrian city. The extremist group Saraya Ansar Al-Sunna claimed responsibility, saying its fighters “detonated a number of explosive devices” inside the building.
In a statement released by spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres condemned the assault as “unacceptable” and called for accountability. “The Secretary-General reiterates that attacks against civilians and places of worship are unacceptable. He stresses that those responsible must be identified and brought to justice,” Dujarric said.
France echoed the condemnation, labeling the blast an “act of terrorism” designed to undermine Syria’s fragile stability.
“This attack is part of a deliberate strategy aimed at destabilizing Syria and the transition government,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement, warning that such violence seeks to “compromise ongoing efforts to bring peace and stability.”
The bombing is the second major attack on a house of worship in Syria since Islamist authorities took power a year ago. In June, a suicide bombing at a church in Damascus killed 25 people.
No further casualties have been reported, but the attack has heightened concerns over escalating sectarian violence and militant operations amid Syria’s protracted conflict.
