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full screen Syrian opposition forces drive a combat vehicle seized from Syria’s military in the town of Maarat al-Numan south of Idlib earlier this week. Photo: Omar Albam/AP/TT
Syrian jihadists claim to have entered parts of Hama after three days of intense fighting with government forces on the city’s outskirts.
State media have confirmed that fierce fighting has taken place, but say the rebels have not broken through.
If the rebels take over the city, it would be a major setback for President Bashar al-Assad.
The Islamist groups’ surprise offensive is led by the extremist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and took control of the major city of Aleppo last week.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), gunmen entered parts of the city from the northwest.
– If Hama falls, it means the beginning of the fall of the regime, says SOHR head Rami Abdul Rahman to AP.