Syrian Army Withdraws from Hama

The Syrian Defense Ministry announced today that, due to circumstances, army units that had been defending the city of Hama were being withdrawn to the countryside. “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 Hama City from various axes and in huge numbers, using all means and military equipment, and with the help of immersion groups,” it said in a statement published by SANA. “During the past hours, with the intensification of confrontations between our soldiers and terrorist groups and the rise of a number of martyrs among our forces, these groups were able to penetrate several axes in the city and enter it, despite suffering heavy losses in their ranks. In order to preserve the lives of civilians in Hama and not to involve them in battles inside the cities, the military units stationed there redeployed and repositioned themselves outside the city.”