Syrian army pulls out of Hama after insurgents break through defences

Syrian opposition fighters on a seized military armoured vehicle on the outskirts of Hama (Ghaith Alsayed/AP)

The Syrian army says it has withdrawn from the central city of Hama after insurgents broke through its defences, in another setback for President Bashar Assad.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.