Syria.. A previous video of Assad's forces in the Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo, highlighted after its restoration and reopening

(CNN) - On Thursday, the Syrian authorities reopened the Great Umayyad Mosque in the ancient city of Aleppo, after restoration and rehabilitation operations, highlighting previous video clips of the mosque during the fighting with the forces of the ousted Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad.

The official Syrian Al-Ikhbariya channel published footage of the reopening ceremony, while activists on social media posted a previous video showing fighters loyal to Assad sitting in the courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo.

Other activists went on to share a video clip filmed using a drone of the Umayyad Mosque during the period of fighting and the destruction that befell it, while others shared pictures of the great destruction that befell the mosque amid widespread welcome for its restoration and opening.

The official Syrian News Agency stated in a report that, “The Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo is one of the most prominent religious and cultural landmarks in the city, and throughout its history it has witnessed multiple stages of scientific and cultural life, while its reopening comes after rehabilitation and restoration work to restore its role and place in the lives of the people of Aleppo. Its opening comes within the framework of the rehabilitation work of the old city of Aleppo and its markets, as the past months of July and August witnessed the opening of parts of the covered markets, and a number of service and heritage centers in the governorate.”