A terror attack in Syria killed at least eight people and injured 18 on Friday after explosive devices were planted at a mosque.
The attack happened in the Syrian city of Homs in the western portion of the country. A state news agency reported that the devices were planted to harm worshippers attending Friday prayers.
It’s unclear who carried out the attack, the media office for Homs province told CNN. Iraqi Sunni terrorist group Ansar al Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack on Telegram. But Syrian officials have yet to name the culprits responsible.
Pictures at the scene show the mostly intact interior of a mosque with heavy black marks staining a wall corner. Items are strewn about.
A witness said the explosion decapitated some of the victims at the scene.
“With the first prostration came a huge explosion. People were all on the floor, some had their heads blown off. Those on the right were affected the most. Many were injured and fled, and there was a huge crowd,” Bashar al Issa told the Syrian Arab News Agency.
The country’s information minister condemned the attack. “It has become clear to everyone that the remnants of the Assad regime, ISIS elements, and agents converge on one objective: obstructing the path of the new state by destabilizing security, disrupting civil peace, and undermining the shared living and common destiny of Syrians throughout the ages,” Hamza al Mustafa said.
The neighboring nations of Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar condemned the attacks and expressed support for the victims. The French Foreign Ministry said it denounced the attacks, “which seek to instill terror and undermine ongoing efforts to establish peace and stability within a unified and pluralistic Syria.”
US STRIKES ISIS TARGETS IN SYRIA AFTER TRUMP’S VOW TO RETALIATE OVER SLAIN SOLDIERS
The terrorist attacks come weeks after two U.S. service members and an American civilian were killed in Syria by an ISIS element.
President Donald Trump vowed “very serious retaliation” for the attack on U.S. troops.
