Insurgents take Hama, Syrian army withdraws

The Syrian army has withdrawn from the central city of Hama after insurgents broke through its defenses, the military said Thursday, in another setback for President Bashar Assad.

The announcement came hours after opposition fighters said they had entered the city and were marching toward the center. The Syrian army said it redeployed from Hama and took positions outside the city to protect the lives of civilians.