MAALOULA, Syria — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday visited an ancient Christian town recaptured from rebels last week, state media said.

Assad's Easter visit to Maaloula - a rare appearance outside central Damascus - also highlighted growing government confidence in recent gains against insurgents around the capital and along the Lebanese border.

Maaloula is known as one of three places where Western Aramaic, the language of Jesus, is still spoken.