Syria's Bashar al-Assad makes rare public appearance for Eid prayers

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a rare public appearance yesterday, attending prayers on the Muslim Eid ul-Adha holiday at a mosque in Damascus.

State media and Assad's official Twitter feed posted photos of the embattled president praying alongside the country's top cleric and members of his government.

"President Bashar al-Assad leads Eid ul-Adha prayers at the Nuaman bin Bashir mosque in Damascus," the state Syrian Arab News Agency said.

Adnan Afyouni, Damascus' top cleric, used his sermon to criticise the international community for backing an uprising against Assad that began in 2011.

"Eid is associated with happiness in the life of the Muslim nation," he said. "But Eid has not entered our homes because the West and its Arab collaborators decided to make our country a battlefield … and implement interests and agendas."

Syria's government has long accused Western and Arab backers of the uprising against Assad of supporting terrorism and trying to destroy the country.