Syrian president participates in religious mass in Damascus

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad took part Sunday evening in a religious mass to commemorate the birth of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, according to the state-run SANA news agency.

Assad attended the mass at Al-Hamid Mosque in the capital Damascus, said SANA, adding that the mass has been planned by the Ministry of Endowment.

SANA spelt no further details about the event, but Assad has appeared in almost all religious events despite the country's long- running crisis.

His deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, said Sunday that the Syrian government will participate in the upcoming Geneva II peace conference on the Syrian crisis as ordered by Assad.