Moment former president’s statue toppled in Hama

A statue of the late Syrian president, Hafez al-Assad, the daddy of President Bashar al-Assad, has been torn down within the metropolis of Hama.

Syrian rebels say they’ve taken full control of the nation’s second main metropolis, after the navy withdrew.

The chief of the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, declared “victory” in Hama and vowed there could be “no revenge”.

Earlier, HTS fighters and their allies took over Hama central jail and launched inmates amid fierce battles, whereas the navy mentioned it had redeployed troops outdoors the town.

Hama is dwelling to 1 million individuals and is 110km (70 miles) south of Aleppo, which the rebels captured final week after launching a shock offensive from their stronghold within the north-west.

In Aleppo, a statue of President Bashar al-Assad’s late brother, Bassel, was destroyed a couple of days in the past.

Read the full story of the rebels advance here.