Deadly Blast Rocks Homs Mosque, 8 Killed Amid Rising Sectarian Violence

• An explosion at the Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque in Homs, Syria, killed at least eight worshippers and wounded 18 during Friday prayers.
• Islamist militant group Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack, stating they detonated explosive devices.
• This is the latest in a series of attacks targeting the Alawite community and the second mosque bombing since Islamist authorities took power a year ago.
• The attack highlights escalating sectarian violence in Syria following the ouster of former ruler Bashar al-Assad.
• Syria's foreign ministry condemned the "cowardly criminal act," with international bodies and several countries also denouncing the violence.

Why It Matters: Homs mosque blast kills 8, fueling fears of escalating sectarian conflict in post-Assad Syria.