President Bashar al-Assad of Syria received several congratulatory telegrams from leaders and officials of various Arab and Islamic countries on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. According to the Syrian regime’s news agency, SANA, Assad exchanged congratulations through phone calls with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
Additionally, Assad received telegrams from Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Other congratulatory messages came from Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Bangladeshi President Mohammad Shahabuddin, and Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
Further telegrams were received from Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Guyana’s Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, and Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
Noticeable Decline in Congratulations and Absence of Saudi-Emirati Leaders
The Syrian regime’s announcement on Sunday indicated a noticeable decline in the number of presidents sending congratulatory telegrams compared to Eid al-Fitr, celebrated last April. Notably absent were leaders from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
During Eid al-Fitr, Assad received telegrams from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, and UAE deputies Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Mansour bin Zayed. Leaders from Mauritania, Turkmenistan, Indonesia, Eritrea, Tanzania, Mali, Abkhazia, Tajikistan, and India also sent their congratulations during Eid al-Fitr.
Bashar al-Assad’s Eid al-Adha Prayers
Bashar al-Assad performed Eid al-Adha prayers at Al-Rawda Mosque in the Abu Rummaneh neighbourhood of Damascus. He was accompanied by Prime Minister Hussein Arnous, Minister of Endowments Muhammad Abd al-Sattar al-Sayyid, and other officials. The prayer was led by Muhammad Sharif Al-Sawaf, the general supervisor of the Kaftaro Complex in Damascus, who delivered a sermon lasting about fifteen minutes. The sermon focused on themes of “trial and patience” and “empowerment” following adversity. Notably, the general situation in Syria and the region, including events in the Gaza Strip, was largely absent from the sermon, with Gaza mentioned only once during the prayer.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
