'Why the killing': Syria’s Alawites take to the streets following mosque bombing

Thousands of Alawites protested in Syria's coastal and central regions after a mosque bombing in Homs killed eight, demanding protection and regional autonomy. Clashes erupted between demonstrators and supporters of Syria's new Islamist authorities, with injuries reported in Homs and Jableh. Protesters called for decentralised governance, an end to sectarian violence, and the release of detainees, amid ongoing threats to the Alawite minority since Assad's fall.