UAE praises Syria's Assad for 'wise leadership', cementing ties

Syrian President Bashar al Assad visits Syrian army troops in war-torn northwestern Idlib province, Syria, in this handout released by SANA on October 22, 2019. SANA/Handout via REUTERS

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates' top diplomat in Syria has praised President Bashar al-Assad for his "wise leadership", in one of the strongest expressions of support yet from a country that once backed Damascus' enemies in the civil war.

The two restored diplomatic ties last year and the UAE's vocal support will be welcome by Assad, who has wrested control of most of his country from rebels and jihadis and is seeking to shed his status as pariah to much of the outside world.