Syria's Assad pays Easter visit to recaptured Christian town

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https://s1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Otot6zIJGpiSRuck.ZjZTQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9NzU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2014-04-21T021233Z_2_CBREA3J16XX00_RTROPTP_2_SYRIA-CRISIS-EASTER.JPG (https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/syrias-assad-pays-easter-visit-recaptured-christian-town-021233644.html)By Firas Makdesi MAALOULA, Syria (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday visited an ancient Christian town recaptured from rebels last week, state media said, as he seeks to persuade mi**rities that the government is their best protection against hardline Islamists. Assad's Easter visit to Maaloula - a rare appearance outside central Damascus - also highlighted growing government confidence in recent gains against insurgents around the capital and along the Lebanese border. Islamist fighters, including some from the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, had taken over part of Maaloula in December and held several nuns captive until releasing them in March in a prisoner-exchange deal.




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