DAMASCUS: A deadly explosion hit a mosque in a predominantly Alawite area of Syria&#39;s Homs on Friday, said authorities who reported at least six people killed. &quot;A terrorist explosion targeted the Ali Bin Abi Talib Mosque during Friday prayers in Al-Khadri Street in the Wadi al-Dahab neighbourhood of Homs,&quot; the interior ministry said in a statement, adding that six people were killed and 21 others wounded. Homs was the scene of heavy sectarian violence during Syria&#39;s civil war. Syria&#39;s state news agency SANA, which also reported the blast, said its cause and nature were being investigated. According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, it was not immediately clear whether the blast &quot;was caused by a suicide attack or an explosive device. A local security source in Homs told AFP on condition of anonymity that the explosion may have been caused by &quot;an explosive device placed inside the mosque. A resident of the area, requesting anonymity out of fear for his safety, told AFP people &quot;heard a loud explosion, followed by chaos and panic in the neighbourhood&quot;. &quot;No one dares to leave their house, and we are hearing ambulance sirens,&quot; he added. SANA published photos from inside the mosque, one of which showed a hole in a wall. Black smoke covered part of the mosque, with carpets and books scattered nearby. Homs city is home to a Sunni Muslim majority but also has several predominantly Alawite areas. While most Syrians are Sunni, the ousted ruler, Bashar al-Assad, belongs to the Alawite community, whose faith stems from Shiite Islam. Since Assad&#39;s ouster in 2024, the Observatory and ordinary Syrians in Homs have reported kidnappings and killings targeting members of the minority community. Syria&#39;s coastal areas saw the massacre of Alawite civilians in March, with authorities accusing armed Assad supporters of sparking the violence by attacking security forces. A national commission of inquiry said at least 1,426 members of the minority community were killed at the time, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor put the toll at more than 1,700.

FILE: Pro-Turkish Syrian fighters carry away the victim of a car-bomb explosion last November in Tal Abyad (AFP)

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A deadly explosion hit a mosque in a predominantly Alawite area of Syria's Homs on Friday, said authorities who reported at least six people killed.

Deadly blast hits mosque in Alawite area of Syria's Homs

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ISLAMABAD: Conflicting accounts and rapid speculation by sections of the Indian media have followed an explosion in the heart of New Delhi, even as authorities stated that the cause remains under investigation.&nbsp;According to AFP, at least eight people were killed and 19 others injured when a vehicle exploded near the Red Fort Metro Station in the densely populated Old Delhi district on Tuesday. The blast occurred close to the historic 17th-century Mughal landmark, a major tourist attraction.&nbsp;Delhi Police spokesperson Sanjay Tyagi confirmed that the explosion took place inside a vehicle, but said officials had not yet determined what triggered it.&nbsp;&ldquo;The exact cause is still under investigation,&rdquo; Tyagi said. &ldquo;We have teams on the ground gathering evidence.&rdquo;&nbsp;Local television networks reported footage showing multiple vehicles engulfed in flames and thick smoke rising in a crowded street near the metro station. According to the city&rsquo;s deputy fire chief, six vehicles and three autorickshaws caught fire before the blaze was brought under control. At dawn on Tuesday, AFP reporters at the site of the explosion said police white sheets had been erected around the charred remains of vehicles overnight. Both forensic and anti-terrorism agencies were searching for evidence, while security was increased across New Delhi.&nbsp;Statements from Indian leadershipPrime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sympathy in a message on X, saying he offered condolences to the families of those killed in the Delhi blast and wished a swift recovery for the injured. Home Minister Amit Shah told local media that the explosion involved a Hyundai i20 near a traffic signal close to the Red Fort. He said CCTV footage from the surrounding area will be reviewed as part of the inquiry.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation, taking all possibilities into account,&rdquo; Shah said. &ldquo;All options will be investigated immediately, and we will present the results to the public.&rdquo;&nbsp;Following the explosion, New Delhi&rsquo;s international airport, metro stations and government buildings were placed on high security alert, according to official statements.&nbsp;The US and French embassies in Delhi also issued security advisories to their citizens, urging them to avoid crowds and the areas surrounding the Red Fort, and to remain alert in places frequented by tourists.&nbsp;Eyewitness accounts differ from early reportsSome eyewitnesses at the scene described the vehicle involved as a compact Suzuki Maruti, based on what they saw immediately after the explosion. However, officials have referred to the vehicle as a Hyundai i20, and forensic teams remain deployed.&nbsp;Authorities have not yet released CCTV footage to clarify the discrepancy.&nbsp;Speculation over identity raises concerns&nbsp;Some Indian media channels circulated unverified claims linking the vehicle to a man named &ldquo;Salman,&rdquo; despite the absence of police confirmation. Other reports suggested different prior owners from Faridabad and Pulwama, though authorities have not confirmed any ownership chain.&nbsp;No official statement has identified a suspect or motive.&nbsp;Media observers in India have pointed to a pattern of speculation outpacing verified detail during breaking news events.&nbsp;Security questions raisedThe blast occurred near a high-security zone that houses several central government buildings, prompting renewed scrutiny over security measures in the capital.&nbsp;Police said forensic and anti-terror teams continue to examine the site, and further details will be released once initial findings are complete.&nbsp;Authorities continue to disperse crowds at the scene and maintain a security perimeter. With additional inputs from AFP

India

 Indian media begins blame game after Red Fort blast, shifting narratives and naming suspects without confirmation as police say cause remains under investigation

Articles tagged with "Blast"

Deadly blast hits mosque in Alawite area of Syria's Homs

Speculation follows deadly New Delhi blast as investigators probe cause