A bomb exploded inside the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in Homs, Syria, during Friday prayers, killing at least eight people and wounding 18 others, the health ministry reported. Images from Syria's state news agency Sana showed blackened walls, broken windows, and bloodstains on the mosque carpet. Officials said the explosion was caused by an explosive device detonated inside the mosque. The blast struck in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighborhood, home mainly to the Alawite sect. The jihadist group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it was done in partnership with another unidentified group. Syria's Foreign Ministry condemned the "terrorist crime," calling it a "cowardly act" that aims to "undermine the security and stability" of the country. Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, a Sunni extremist faction, first rose to note after a church bombing in Damascus in June. Experts suspect it may be linked to the Islamic State due to similar targets and messages. The group’s recent silence ended with this mosque blast, following prior targeted attacks mostly against minorities and Assad government remnants. The attack occurs one year after Syrian rebels toppled President Bashar al-Assad, who belongs to the Alawite sect. Since then, sectarian violence has increased, with Alawites fearing retaliation and crackdowns. Assad and his family now live in exile in Russia. Earlier this year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported mass killings of Alawites in Latakia province by security forces. The investigation into the blast’s perpetrators continues.