The Syrian army says it has withdrawn from the central city of Hama after insurgents broke through its defences, in another setback for President Bashar Assad.
The announcement on Thursday came hours after opposition fighters said they had entered the city and were marching toward the centre.
The army said it redeployed from Hama and took positions outside the city to protect the lives of civilians.
The capture of Syria’s fourth largest city is another blow for Mr Assad days after insurgents captured much of Aleppo, the country’s largest city.