DAMASCUS -- At least eight people were killed and 21 others wounded after an explosion struck a mosque in the Wadi al-Dhahab neighborhood of the central Syrian city of Homs during Friday prayers, Syrian health authorities said.

State-run SANA news agency said the blast was caused by explosive devices planted in a corner of the Imam Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque, which was crowded with worshippers at the time.

Earlier in the day, Najib al-Naasan, director of referral, ambulance and emergency services at the Syrian Ministry of Health, said the toll could rise as rescue and medical teams continued to assess the situation.

Security forces cordoned off the area following the blast, while ambulances rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals. An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of the attack.