An explosion has killed at least eight people and injured 18 others during Friday prayers inside a mosque in the Syrian city of Homs, the health ministry has said.
Pictures from Syria's state-run news agency, Sana, show the inside of the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque with black, scorched walls, smashed windows and blood on the carpet.
Officials believe that an explosive was detonated inside the building, Sana reports, citing a security source. While authorities are still searching for the perpetrators, jihadist group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah has claimed responsibility.
The mosque is in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighbourhood, where most people are part of the Alawite ethnoreligious group.
Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the terrorist crime, stating that the cowardly act is a blatant assault on human and moral values designed to undermine the security and stability of the country.
Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, a Sunni extremist group, has said it carried out the attack in collaboration with another unidentified group, using explosives planted at the site.
The group's vague origins and opaque affiliations have raised questions about its true links and authenticity. Some observers speculate it could be a front for the Islamic State given the similarity in their messaging and choice of targets.
The blast occurred a year after Syrian rebel forces overthrew Bashar al-Assad, an Alawite, intensifying fears among Alawites and prompting a wave of sectarian violence.
Since the fall of Assad, Alawites have faced increasing threats, exemplified by recent violent incidents reported in regions such as Latakia.
Additional reporting by BBC Monitoring.
