‘COWARDLY ACT’: SYRIA CONDEMNS DEADLY MOSQUE BOMBING IN HOMS

DAMASCUS/ ISTANBUL, Dec 27 (Bernama-Anadolu) – Syria on Friday condemned a bomb explosion that targeted a mosque during weekly Friday prayers in the central city of Homs, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

Eight people were killed and 18 others injured in the attack at the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque on Al-Khodari Street in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighbourhood of Homs.

In a statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said the “cowardly act is a blatant assault on human and moral values.”

The ministry said the escalation came amid “desperate attempts to destabilise Syria and undermine the resilience of the Syrian people.”

It stressed Syria’s “determination to continue combating terrorism in all its forms,” affirming that “such crimes will not deter its continued efforts to reinforce security, safeguard the people and hold perpetrators accountable.”

Damascus also renewed its call on the international community “to stand against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”

The statement concluded by expressing condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, reaffirming “its full solidarity with the Syrian people in this painful tragedy.”

Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba told state-run Alikhbaria TV that “a criminal terrorist” placed and detonated an explosive device inside the mosque.

He said the identity of the perpetrator has not yet been identified.

“Many parties are displeased with the current positive state of unity in Syria,” he said.

The spokesperson said his ministry has recently carried out “successful preventive missions to protect civilians and residential areas.”

“The Syrians’ battle against terrorism will succeed,” he vowed.

“The achievements made against the remnants of the former regime, ISIS (Daesh) and separatist agendas would not have been possible without the awareness of Syrian society.”

According to the channel, a group calling itself “Saraya Ansar al-Sunna” claimed responsibility for the attack.

The new Syrian administration is working to tighten security conditions nationwide and pursue remnants of the former regime accused of stirring security unrest.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration headed by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU