Damascus, July 25 (SANA)UN Secretary-GeneralAntonio Guterresvisited the former Sednayah Prison near Damascus on Saturday during his first visit to Syria since taking office, accompanied by Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations,Ibrahim Olabi.

Earlier in the day, Guterres toured Damascus’ historic Old City and visited theUmayyad Mosquealongside Olabi.

Guterres arrived atDamascus International Airporton Saturday morning with a UN delegation and was received by Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani.

The visit is the first by a UN secretary-general to Syria since 2009 and comes as Damascus seeks to strengthen engagement with theUnited Nationsfollowing the fall of the deposed regime.