Syrian conflict: Rebel factions enter Hama, oust pro-govt forces from key city
Syrian rebels seize Hama.
Rebel factions in Syria,who launched a massive offensive against the government last week, on Thursday (Dec 5) seized the key city of Hama after ousting pro-government forces from there.
A report by the news agency Reuters said that the army was redeploying outside Hama to preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat.
Rebel factions said that they had taken districtsin Hama's northeast and seized the central prison, freeing detainees.
Hama seizure will send shockwaves through Damascus
Reuters reported that the rebels' seizure of Hama would send shockwaves through the Syrian capital and fears of a continued rebel march south.
Hama lies more than a third of the way from Aleppo to Damascus and its capture would open the road for a rebel advance on Homs, the main central city in Syria that functions as a crossroads connecting Syria's most populous regions.
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Also read |US says it wants to see 'political process' to end Syrian civil war following rebel offensive
Hama is also critical to the control of two major towns with big minority religious communities – Muhrada, home to many Christians, and Salamiya where there are many Ismaili Muslims.
Although Hama had not previously been taken by rebels during the civil war (which is still going on)it was historically a centre of opposition to the Assad dynasty's rule.
Like other Syrian cities, Hama rebelled in 2011 against President Bashar al-Assad after the government's brutal crackdown on anti-government protests, triggering the civil war that drew in foreign powers and jihadists.
Since last week's offensive,rebels took the main northern city of Aleppo and have since pushed south from their enclave in northwest Syria.
Chinese embassy in Syria tells citizens to leave country
In other latest developments from the Syrian conflict, the Chinese embassy in Syria on Thursday advised its citizensto leaveSyria"as soon as possible."
In a post on WeChat, the embassy said, "Currently, the situation in northwesternSyriais intensifying, and the overall security situation is deteriorating further."
Also watch | WION Fineprint: Syria spirals into crisis and mayhem
"(The embassy) advises Chinese citizens in the country to make use of available commercial flights to return home or leave the country as soon as possible," the embassy added.
It also pointed out that those who remained in Syria might face "extremely high-security risks and potential delays in receiving assistance."
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.