Amid airstrikes inside his country from the U.S.-led campaign agains the Islamic State, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attended Eid al-Adha prayers Saturday in a rare public appearance at a mosque in Damascus, the AFP reports.
The AFP said Syria's state-run media reported Assad's appearance on its Twitter feed along with photos of the president praying alongside the country's top cleric and members of his government.
"President Bashar al-Assad leads Eid al-Adha prayers at the Nuaman bin Bashir mosque in Damascus," state news agency SANA said.
Adnan Afyouni, Damascus's top cleric, used his sermon to criticise the international community for backing the peaceful uprising against the regime that began in 2011.
Referencing the holiday's association with happiness and celebration, Afyouni said Syria could not enjoy Eid this year because of the recent introduction of international airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria.
"..the West and its Arab collaborators decided to make our country a battlefield... and implement interests and agendas," he said.
When the U.S.-ed airstrikes first began, Assad's government said it would support any effort to "fight terrorism" in the country, apparently positioning itself on the same side of Western interests.
But the regime also has a long history of brushing off nations who backed the uprising in 2011 as being supporters of "terrorism" and trying to destroy the country.
"We pledge to God almighty to protect our country from a great conspiracy that targets its role and presence and resilience," Afyouni said.
"We pledge to keep the country from being turned into a war zone, torn apart and divided," he said, referring to "plans drawn up at the White House and carried out today in north and east Syria."
While in statements Assad's government has tried to position itself with Western powers and against the Islamic State, it has also repeatedly warned the airstrike campaign's leaders that any bombing done inside Syria without his government's knowledge would be viewed as an act of aggression.
During the first round of strikes, he claimed the While House contacted him before beginning the campaign.
In its fourth year, the conflict has killed more than 180,000 people in Syria since peaceful protests began against Assad in March 2011.
In 2011, what began as anti-government demonstrations in Syria's major cities spiralled into a vicious civil war after the regime opened fire on protesters.
