Hundreds of mourners gathered on Saturday despite rain and cold outside of a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs, where a bombing the day before killed eight people and wounded 18.
The crowd gathered next to the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in the Wadi al Dhahab neighbourhood, where the population is predominantly from the Alawite minority, before driving in convoys to bury the victims.
Officials have said the preliminary investigations indicate explosive devices were planted inside the mosque, but have not yet publicly identified a suspect.
A little-known group calling itself Saraya Ansar al Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on its Telegram channel, in which it indicated that the attack was intended to target members of the Alawite.
The same group had previously claimed a suicide attack in June in which a gunman opened fire and then detonated an explosive vest inside a Greek Orthodox church in Dweil’a, on the outskirts of Damascus, killing 25 people as worshippers prayed on a Sunday.
Investigations continue into the bomb attack on a mosque in Syria's Homs as countries around the world show solidarity with the Syrian government against the terrorist attack. Nour Qormosh has more pic.twitter.com/aGwe1G5xNs
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A neighbour of the mosque, who asked to be identified only by the honorific Abu Ahmad ("father of Ahmad") out of security concerns, said he was at home when he heard the sound of a “very, very strong explosion.”
He and other neighbours went to the mosque and saw terrified people running out of it, he said. They entered and began trying to help the wounded, amid blood and scattered body parts on the floor.
While the neighbourhood is primarily Alawite, he said the mosque had always been open to members of all groups to pray.
“It's the house of God," he said. "The mosque's door is open to everyone. No one ever asked questions. Whoever wants to enter can enter."
Mourners were unable to enter the mosque to pray on Saturday because the crime scene remained cordoned off, so they prayed outside.
 
 
 
Source: TRT World