In Damascus on Sunday, prayers by Syria's top leadership to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed.<br/> <br />President Bashar al-Assad was there, and so were leading members of his government -- including the Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament.<br/> <br />Syrian State TV showed Assad shaking hands with scholars from various Muslim sects - Sunni, Shi'ite and Alawite.<br/> <br />It's Assad's second public appearance in a week, after a New Year's Day visit to troops on the outskirts of the capitol.<br/> <br />This, as a protracted war -- which began as a pro-democracy movement in 2011 -- trudges on into 2015.<br/> <br />No one group enjoys significant momentum in the fighting, and last month Assad said he expects the conflict to be difficult and long.
