Assad does all he can to present an image of a prosperous metropolis to the destroyed remnants of his country - a country that was once Syria. When shells fall on the Old Town and surrounding neighborhoods, craftsmen move in on the heels of the ambulances to cover up the traces of war. That's also why there is no visible destruction in the city center. The message is clear: Damascus is normal and life goes on where the regime is in charge. The capital is Assad's fortress, his strongest front in the propaganda war. Professionally produced drone videos have been made to show off the city. On the square in front of the opera house, giant lettering has recently been mounted reading: "I Love Damascus." It was put there as part of an advertising campaign run by the city marketing department, which also used to hold a marathon. Visitors to the opulent opera house wear suits and evening gowns while the announcements are still made in English, French and Arabic, almost as though Damascus were still the cosmopolitan metropolis it once was. The cooks in the Old Town grill their famous kebabs, the marble floors of the boutique hotel courtyards are once again heated for winter and pilgrims continue to come from far away to visit the Umayyad Mosque.
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