DAMASCUS, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday performed the special prayers of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, at a mosque in Damascus, a day after his government agreed on a cease-fire during the four-day holiday.
Syrian state television aired live coverage of the prayers showing Assad flanked by Syria's grand mufti and the minister of endowment at the prayers.
The government has reluctantly agreed on a cease-fire brokered by UN-Arab League joint envoy Lakhdar Brahimi. The deal has also won the support of many rebel groups.
Syria's military authorities announced Thursday the cessation of all military operations during the holiday.
In a statement broadcast on state-run Syrian TV, the army said all military operations would be halted during the four-day holiday but warned that the decision is reversible in case the armed groups breached the truce.
Skepticism about a durable cease-fire has increased following the rejection of Jabhet al-Nusra, a Jihadist group affiliated with al-Qaida, to observe the cease-fire.
Eid al-Adha, which had been for long a source of delight for the Syrians, has lost its luster because of the 19-month-long conflict. Most Syrians have opted to confine themselves to their homes during the holiday.
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