The YouTube video shows al-Khatib on a jam-packed street in Menbej. As Al-Khatib walks through the crowd, shopkeepers pop into their doorways to see what the commotion is about. He stops and affectionately greets several people. Dozens of smiling people take photos and videos with their cell phones.

CNN cannot independently verify when the video was shot. The people shown in it all wear winter coats or sweaters. Menbej is in a rebel-held area in northern Syria.

The opposition group said al-Khatib met with senior officials and judicial council members. He also visited a military camp for the Free Syrian Army and met with field commanders about future operations.

"He is on a tour to northern Syria to affirm his concern with Syrians inside the country and that he is in communication with all segments in the civil society and the military," a spokesman said in a written statement.

Al-Khatib is a former cleric of the historic Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and is a highly respected figure in Syria. He fled the country last year due to security concerns.