Statue of former president demolished in Hama

A statue of late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, father of President Bashar al-Assad, has been vandalized in the city of Hama.

Syrian rebels say they have taken complete control of the country’s second major city after the army’s withdrawal.

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

Earlier, HTS fighters and their allies captured Hama central prison and released prisoners amid fierce fighting, while the army said it had redeployed troops outside the city.

Hama is home to one million people and is 110 km (70 miles) south of Aleppo, which rebels captured last week after launching a surprise offensive from their stronghold in the northwest.

in aleppoA few days ago, the statue of Bassel, the late brother of President Bashar al-Assad, was destroyed.