sat 19 dec 2015, 12:32

Assad visits a church on front line

DAMASCUS –

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has an old church, visited at the frontline in the capital, Damascus, where his army in heavy combat is involved with the rebels.

The Syrian president Al-Assad
Photo: AP

Assad visited the preparations of a church choir in the Notre Dame de Damas-church, reported state media Saturday.

The environment of the church was, according to the authorities Friday are still being hit by mortar fire.

The church is located 2 kilometers from the suburb of Ghouta, which is in the hands of the rebels and all the months of being bombarded, the last time by Russia.

Assad is putting itself in recent times in interviews down as the protector of minorities in Syria, and calls his regime an example of religious tolerance in a country that is threatened by islamist insurgents.

The conflict in Syria has already surely a quarter of a million people killed and millions of others on the flight driven.