Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro will make his first major public appearance in years Monday when he discusses the Middle East on a government TV program, the state-run Granma newspaper reported.

It would be the second Castro sighting in the past few days. Three photographs of Castro surfaced Saturday on a pro-government blog, which claimed the photos were taken Wednesday.

The set of three photos apparently show the 83-year-old ailing Castro meeting with people during “a surprise visit” at the National Center of Scientific Investigations in Havana, according to a blog published by columnist Rosa C. Baez.

An additional five photos — appearing to be from the same event — were published Saturday by the state-run media site Cubadebate.

Castro has been largely out of sight since undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006. He ceded power to younger brother Raul Castro in February 2008.

(Source: CNN)