Wife of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad soothes bereaved mothers / Pics

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has appeared in a Mother’s Day video, in which she consoles mothers who have lost their children in the foreign-backed militancy gripping the Arab country.The 20-minute video, posted on the Syrian Presidency Facebook page, first shows several bereaved mothers who speak about the sad story of their children- among them soldiers, students and civil servants.Then, Asma al-Assad appears among the mothers and says as a mother she could feel their pain and suffering. She also draws an analogy between Syria and the mothers.    “Syria is like you… tired but steadfast. Like you,” she says, adding, “Syria is proud and will rise with the sun of the future.”The video comes as in recent months the Syrian army has made fresh advances in its fight against foreign-backed militants across the country.In their latest gain, Syrian government forces managed to regain control of the towns of Ras al-Maara and Fleita in the strategic Qalamoun region near the border with Lebanon.Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since March 2011. Reports say some 140,000 people have so far been killed and millions of others displaced because of the foreign-backed crisis.According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria./129