Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meeting a soldier in the Syrian Army
Assad breaks bread with Syrian soldiers during Ramadan
As the battles in Syria rage on, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with soldiers in Damascus for a meal to break the Ramadan fast; after his media outlets published photos from the meeting, Assad’s opposition tweeted their hopes that the meal had been poisoned.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited Syrian Army troops stationed in Marj al-Sultan, a village located near the capital of Damascus that up until several months ago was under the control of Syrian rebels on Sunday. Together they broke the traditional fast held during the month-long holiday of Ramadan.
“This is the best lokma I’ve had,” tweeted Assad, referring to the traditional honey balls dessert. Photos of a smiling Assad sitting down to iftar—the official dinner breaking the fast—were broadcast on official regime networks in addition to photos of him tagging along on patrols, looking at maps and seemingly palling around with the military men.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meeting his troops
While a journalist for the Arab-language Russian news channel RT Arabic noted how “alarmingly fit” Assad is looking, a Syrian newspaper connected to the opposition gave a less flattering, though no less cryptic description of Assad, tweeting “The dog’s tail has left the tea kettle and broken the fast (may it be with deadly poison) at Marj al-Sultan Airport.”
Assad speaking to commanders in the Syrian Army
The war in Syria continued as Assad ended his fast, with the two main areas of conflict being in the north and east of the country. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that Sunday and Monday alone saw 82 casualties from bombings in the Deir ez-Zor area in the east, with 58 of them being women and children.
Assad and his troops breaking the Ramadan fast
The war has similarly intensified in the strategically important city of Aleppo, where both the Syrian regime and Hezbollah have suffered severe losses. Over the last few days, opposition forces have repeatedly claimed that the Syrian Air force has been dropping phosphorous and cluster bombs over the city. Though the UN has so far not confirmed these accounts, those in Syria who oppose Assad claim that they have managed to capture images of these bombings.
Over the last few days, the Syrian Democratic Forces, which are supported by the US, have managed to enter Manbij, a city north of Aleppo considered an ISIS stronghold. Despite such advances, the battle for the city has yet to be won.
