Assad performs Eid prayers in public, gives opposition last chance to surrender

Syrian President Bashar Assad performed on Sunday morning Eid al-Fitr prayers in Damascus’ al-Hamad Mosque, according to SANA.     

During a footage aired by the Syrian Television, Assad appeared in the mosque surrounded by a number of Syrian officials including, the ministers of foreign affairs and Awkaf, Walid Muallem and Abdul Sattar. 

New international envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi denied having said that it is too early to talk about President Assad’s resignation.

The Syrian National Council had earlier called on Brahimi to “apologize” to the Syrian people for saying that “it is way too early to say whether President Bashar Assad must step down”. The council considered that with this statement, Brahimi disregarded the Syrian people’s right to self-determination.


On the field

On the field, violent clashes continued on the first day of Eid al-Fitr between Syrian forces and armed opposition members, resulting in the killing of 24 Syrians, according to the Syrian observatory for Human Rights. 

Also on Sunday, the Syrian TV reported that concerned parties responded to armed groups in the Salmaniya neighborhood in Aleppo Reef and in Deraa Reef. They also responded to the destruction of an ammunition warehouse in the town of Retyan in northern Aleppo, according to the TV.

Meanwhile, AFP’s reporter said that choppers belonging to the Syrian army dropped flyers in Aleppo warning citizens of supporting opposition fighters and giving those “a last chance” to surrender.     

On another note, German spies are stationed off the coast of Syria and are passing information to help the Syrian opposition fighters in their battle against President Bashar Assad, German Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday.

For the full LBCI report, watch the video above.