Syrian insurgents enter two central towns close to city of Homs

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

Syrian insurgents entered two central towns early on Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer to Syria’s third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported.

The break into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama, Syria’s fourth largest, after the Syrian army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians.