Fatalities after bomb targets mosque in Syria's Latakia

A bomb exploded near a mosque in the Syrian regime stronghold of Latakia on Thursday, leaving several people dead and wounded, Syrian state television said.

"A terrorist attack hit near the Khulafa al-Rashideen mosque in the Daatur district of Latakia as people emerged from afternoon prayers," SANA said, adding there were casualties.

The official news agency said a motorcycle bomb was behind the attack in the coastal city.

Multiple explosions tore through the Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartous earlier this month, leaving at least 100 dead, according to an AFP toll.

In a message posted later on its Amaq outlet, the Islamic State group said it was behind the attack on "Alawite concentrations" in the Syrian coast, in reference to the community of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.