Syrian army admits loss of strategic city of Hama

Today (December 5), opposition military forces pushed Damascus government forces out of Hama city, and the Syrian army admitted defeat in this strategic city.

Rebels fire artillery towards Hama from a position on the outskirts on December 4.

On the evening of December 5 (Vietnam time), the Syrian army admitted to losing Hama, a strategic city in the central region, marking the first time Damascus has lost this city since the civil war broke out in 2011.

"In the past few hours, as clashes intensified between our soldiers and terrorist organizations... these armed groups broke through a series of defense lines in (Hama) and entered the city," AFP quoted a statement from the Syrian army.

The government military added that it had withdrawn units from the city center "to protect people's lives and prevent the risk of shifting to urban warfare".

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For their part, the opposition military forces declared control of the northeastern districts of the city and took over the central prison, releasing prisoners, according to Reuters.

Al Jazeera broadcast images showing opposition fighters inside the city. Some gunmen met with civilians, while others drove military vehicles and motorbikes.

The capture of Hama marks a major victory for opposition forces following a rapid advance in northern Syria in recent weeks.

Opposition forces took control of the major northern city of Aleppo over the weekend and have since advanced south, regrouping on a strategic hill north of Hama on December 3. By today, the fighters had pushed government forces out of the city.

Hama has remained under government control throughout the civil war that began in 2011. Therefore, the Syrian army's loss of Hama city is the latest shock to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Victory in Hama could pave the way for opposition forces to advance to Homs, about 46 km to the north and serving as a crossroads connecting the country's most populous areas.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/quan-doi-syria-thua-nhan-mat-thanh-pho-chien-luoc-hama-185241205192605187.htm