Breaking: Major Syrian city changes hands as government forces pull back
Military group HTS gains control over Hama - one of Syrias biggest urban centers. This win follows recent territorial shifts as government troops move away from another key location
In a quick-moving development‚ Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) took over Hama — Syrias fourth-largest urban center after the governments military pulled out on thursday
The militant group made fast progress: entering multiple neighborhoods releasing prisoners from the central jail and securing key points around town (this happened right after Syrian army announced its withdrawal from the area)
This take-over comes just days after HTS got control of Aleppo; marking a super-fast change in the regions power balance. The back-to-back losses of two major cities show how quick things are moving on the ground: as government troops keep moving away from long-held positions
The take-over of Hama — a city with deep historical roots and important geo-political location has created a new reality in central Syria. Local sources say HTS fighters met little resistance when they entered the city; which points to a pre-planned military pull-back
