Syria's Assad makes rare public appearance on Eid

Damascus, Syria: Syria’s state-run TV has aired footage of the Syrian president performing Eid prayers in a mosque in Damascus. It is the first appearance in public by Bashar Assad after a 18 July bombing in Damascus killed the country’s defense minister and three other top security officials, including the president’s brother-in-law. Assad prayed at the Hamad Mosque in Damascus early on Sunday at the start of Eid al-Fitr, a three-day holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. [caption id=“attachment_422806” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Assad. Reuters[/caption] The last time he appeared in public was on July 4 when he gave a speech in parliament. Since then, there has been a sharp escalation in the country’s civil war with almost daily fighting in some districts of the capital between security forces and rebels seeking to topple Assad. AP