<p>Damascus: Eight people were killed in an explosion at a mosque of the Alawite minority sect in the Syrian city of Homs on Friday, Syrian state news agency SANA said. SANA cited Syrian Health Ministry official Najib al-Naasan as saying 18 others were wounded and that the figures were not final, indicating they could rise.</p><p>The city's press office said an explosive device had detonated inside the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib mosque and that security forces had cordoned off the area. A local security official told SANA that the identity of the perpetrator and any affiliation to violent groups were still unknown.</p><p>Local official Issam Naameh told Reuters the blast occurred during Friday noon prayers.</p>.Israel says it will respond to Hamas 'violation' of Gaza truce, Hamas official denies.<p>Syria's foreign ministry condemned the blast as a "terrorist crime". Regional countries including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Qatar also condemned the attack.</p><p>Syrian state media SANA published footage of rescuers and security forces examining debris splayed across the mosque's green carpet.</p><p>Syria has been rocked by several episodes of sectarian violence since longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, an Alawite, was ousted by a rebel offensive last year and replaced by a government led by members of the Sunni Muslim majority.</p><p>Earlier this month, two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in central Syria by an attacker described by the authorities as a suspected member of the Islamic State, a violent Sunni Muslim group. </p>
<p>Damascus: Eight people were killed in an explosion at a mosque of the Alawite minority sect in the Syrian city of Homs on Friday, Syrian state news agency SANA said. SANA cited Syrian Health Ministry official Najib al-Naasan as saying 18 others were wounded and that the figures were not final, indicating they could rise.</p><p>The city's press office said an explosive device had detonated inside the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib mosque and that security forces had cordoned off the area. A local security official told SANA that the identity of the perpetrator and any affiliation to violent groups were still unknown.</p><p>Local official Issam Naameh told Reuters the blast occurred during Friday noon prayers.</p>.Israel says it will respond to Hamas 'violation' of Gaza truce, Hamas official denies.<p>Syria's foreign ministry condemned the blast as a "terrorist crime". Regional countries including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Qatar also condemned the attack.</p><p>Syrian state media SANA published footage of rescuers and security forces examining debris splayed across the mosque's green carpet.</p><p>Syria has been rocked by several episodes of sectarian violence since longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, an Alawite, was ousted by a rebel offensive last year and replaced by a government led by members of the Sunni Muslim majority.</p><p>Earlier this month, two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in central Syria by an attacker described by the authorities as a suspected member of the Islamic State, a violent Sunni Muslim group. </p>