BEIRUT – Syrian President Bashar Assad has made a rare public visit to the coastal province of Latakia where he toured areas that suffered heavy damage in last week’s wildfires that killed three people, state media reported Tuesday.
Assad’s public visits to areas around Syria have been rare since the country’s conflict began in March 2011. The conflict has killed nearly 400,000 and displaced half of Syria’s population including more than five million who became refugees, mostly in neighboring countries.
State news agency SANA said Assad visited the village of Ballouran to inspect the damage and met the local population during a tour to some areas that were affected by the fires, which were brought under control on Sunday.SANA did not say.