Abbas discusses unity in Damascus

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Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has held talks in Syria to try to improve ties between rival Palestinian groups.

Syria's President Bashar al-Asad urged "every effort" towards achieving Palestinian unity which he said was the only way to recover their rights.

Damascus allows a number of militant groups to function in exile on its soil, including Hamas, main rival to Mr Abbas's Fatah faction.

He was not expected to meet Hamas leader Khalid Meshal during the visit.

Last month, Mr Abbas called for talks between Fatah and Hamas, which seized control of Gaza last year, effectively splitting Gaza from the West Bank.

A Hamas official denounced the decision not to meet Mr Meshal, saying it showed Mr Abbas was following a US agenda that "rejects dialogue".

Mr Assad received Mr Abbas at a time when Syria and Israel are holding indirect peace talks through a Turkish mediation.

On Friday, Mr Abbas met the leaders of the two Damascus-based radical factions, the Democratic Front of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.