Protesters clash in Syria after deadly mosque bombing
Two days after a bomb attack during prayers at an Alawite mosque in the city of Homs, clashes broke out between protesters from the Alawite religious minority and counter-demonstrators on the Syrian coast.
Thousands of protesters gathered in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartus and elsewhere on Sunday.
Preliminary investigations indicate explosive devices were placed inside the mosque in Homs, but authorities have not yet publicly named a suspect in Friday’s bombing, officials said. A funeral ceremony was held for those who died on Saturday.
A little-known group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement published on its Telegram channel. The statement said the attack was aimed at targeting members of the Alawite sect, a branch of Shiite Islam that hard-line Islamists consider apostates.
Sunday’s demonstrations were called by Ghazal Ghazal, an Alawite sheikh living outside Syria who heads a group called the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and the Diaspora.
An Associated Press photographer in Latakia saw pro-government counter-protesters throwing rocks at Alawite demonstrators, while a group of protesters beat a counter-demonstrator who crossed over to their side.
While security forces were trying to separate the two sides, they tried to disperse them by firing into the air. Demonstrators were injured in the scuffle, but it is not yet clear how many.
Syrian state television reported that two security officers were injured when a person threw a hand grenade at the police station in the Tartus region, and that vehicles belonging to the security forces were set on fire in Latakia.
The country has experienced multiple waves of sectarian conflict since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December 2024 by a lightning rebel offensive that ended nearly 14 years of civil war. Alawi Assad fled the country to Russia.
An ambush on security forces by Assad supporters in March triggered days of violence that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, mostly Alawites. Although the situation has calmed down since then, Alevis are occasionally the target of sectarian attacks. They also complained about discrimination against them in public employment and the detention of young Alawite men without charge since the fall of Assad.
During the rule of the Assad dynasty, Alawites were over-represented in government affairs, the army and security forces.
Government officials condemned Friday’s attack and promised the perpetrators would be held accountable but have yet to announce any arrests.
