Four killed in clashes in Syria after deadly Alawite mosque bombing

At least four people have been killed in clashes on Syria’s coast between protesters from the Alawite religious minority and counter-demonstrators.

The violence came two days after a bombing at an Alawite mosque in the city of Homs killed eight people and wounded 18 others during prayers.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, and elsewhere, on Sunday.

Officials have said preliminary investigations indicate explosive devices were planted inside the mosque in Homs, but authorities have not publicly identified a suspect.

Funerals for the victims were held on Saturday.

A little-known group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on its Telegram channel, in which it indicated the attack intended to target members of the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam whom hard-line Islamists consider to be apostates.

Sunday’s demonstrations were called for by Ghazal Ghazal, an Alawite sheikh living outside of 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 throw rocks at the Alawite demonstrators, while a group of protesters beat a counter-demonstrator who crossed to their side.

Security forces tried to break up the two sides and fired into the air in an attempt to disperse them.

Syria’s state-run television reported two members of the security forces were wounded in the area of Tartous after someone threw a hand grenade at a police station, and cars belonging to security forces were set on fire in Latakia.

Later, state-run news agency Sana reported a member of the security forces was killed by gunfire. Local media in Latakia reported seeing the bodies of four people killed in the clashes in hospitals.

Sana said 60 people were wounded by “stabbings, blows from stones, and gunfire targeting both security personnel and civilians”.

The country has experienced several waves of sectarian clashes since the fall of former president Bashar Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December 2024 that brought to an end nearly 14 years of civil war.

Assad, an Alawite, fled the country to Russia.

In March, an ambush carried out Assad supporters against security forces triggered days of violence that left hundreds of people dead, most of them Alawites.

Since then, although the situation has calmed, Alawites have been targeted sporadically in sectarian attacks.

They have also complained of discrimination against them in public employment since Mr Assad’s fall and of young Alawite men detained without charges.

During the rein of the Assad dynasty, Alawites were overrepresented in government jobs and in the army and security forces.

Government officials condemned Friday’s attack and promised to hold perpetrators accountable, but have not yet announced any arrests.