Syrian army withdraws from Hama after rebel advance, vows counteroffensive

DAMASCUS -- The Syrian army announced Thursday that it has redeployed its forces outside the western-central Syrian city of Hama after fierce battles with rebel groups, confirming that rebels have entered the city following intense attacks from multiple fronts.

"Over the past few days, our armed forces have fought fierce battles to repel and thwart the violent and successive attacks launched by terrorist organizations on the city of Hama from various directions and in large numbers, using all types of military equipment and assisted by infiltration groups," said a statement issued by the Syrian General Command of the Army and Armed Forces.

"In the past hours, with intensified confrontations between our soldiers and the terrorist groups and the rise of martyrs in our ranks, those groups managed to penetrate several fronts in the city and enter it, despite suffering heavy losses," it said.

It added that the Syrian army will "continue to carry out its national duty to reclaim the areas entered by the terrorist organizations".

The Syrian army's withdrawal marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict in Syria, as Hama, the fourth-largest city in Syria, has largely remained under government control throughout the 13-year civil war in the country.

Earlier reports from local media and activists indicated that rebel militants from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) had entered the northeastern neighborhoods of Hama after launching one of the most intense attacks in the area to date.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported that the HTS and allied factions advanced from multiple fronts?— north, northeast, and west?— to reach Hama and attack government forces.

The recent escalation in Hama and other regions underscores the intensifying conflict between Syrian government forces and rebel groups, including HTS, which controls parts of northwestern Syria.

The United Nations and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly called for the protection of civilians and unimpeded access to aid delivery, expressing concern over the impact of the ongoing conflict on the Syrian population.