Syrian army withdraws from Hama, acknowledges opposition forces' entry

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, the Syrian army announced its withdrawal from the city of Hama, near the capital Damascus, and admitted that armed opposition factions had entered the city.

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

The statement continued, "During the past few hours, as the confrontations intensified between our soldiers and the terrorist groups, and with the rising number of martyrs among our ranks, these groups managed to penetrate several axes in the city and enter it, despite suffering heavy losses."

The command added, "To safeguard the lives of civilians in Hama and avoid dragging them into urban battles, the military units stationed there have redeployed and repositioned outside the city," emphasizing that "they will continue to fulfill their national duty to reclaim the areas entered by the terrorist organizations."

The Syrian conflict has seen various opposition groups emerge, evolve, and sometimes dissolve over the years. As of now, the main opposition groups include Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the National Front for Liberation (NFL), and the Syrian National Army (SNA).

In the past week, opposition forces led by HTS have launched a major offensive, capturing significant territories in key cities, including Aleppo and Hama. This offensive, codenamed "Operation Deterrence of Aggression," was launched by HTS and allied Turkish-backed groups in response to increased shelling by Syrian government forces in the Western Aleppo countryside, marking the first major opposition attack since the 2020 Idlib ceasefire.