Syrian President Bashar Assad, center, speaks with Syrian troops in newly captured areas of eastern Ghouta, near the capital Damascus, Syria, Sunday. Al-Ikhbariya TV broadcast images of Assad surrounded by soldiers on a street in eastern Ghouta, where a Syrian offensive has been underway over the past month. It was not clear where in eastern Ghouta Assad was. Syrian presidency Facebook page via AP hide caption
Syrian soldiers walk at the entrance of Daraya, a besieged Damascus suburb, on Friday. AP hide caption
Syrian government forces patrol Daraya, a suburb of the capital, Damascus, on Feb. 24. Youssef Karwashan/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
A Syrian soldier walks on a ravaged street in Daraya, a besieged suburb of Syria's capital, in February. Xinhua News Agency via Getty hide caption