Syrian tanks pull out of rebel city

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Syrian tanks pull out of rebel city

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Dozens of Syrian army vehicles packed with soldiers left the flashpoint protest hub of Hama.

11 August,2011 12:54 pm

Calm restored to ghost city Hama as army leaves 10 days after storming the central city to fight armed groups.Forty personnel carriers decked with Syrian flags rolled out of Hama with soldiers chanting slogans praising embattled President Bashar Assad, said the journalist who visited the city on a tour organized by the authorities.“With our blood and our soul we sacrifice ourselves for you, Bashar,” some chanted as others recited slogans pledging allegiance to “God, Syria, Bashar.”In Ankara, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters in televised remarks that Turkey’s ambassador had gone to Hama and confirmed that troops had pulled out of the city.“It is confirmed that tanks and artillery were withdrawn from the city of Hama. But it is understood that the city lacks liveliness,” Davutoglu said, based on the preliminary information he received from envoy Omer Onhon.Troops backed by tanks stormed Hama on July 31. Activists said at least 140 people were killed that day, including 100 in Hama, in the bloodiest day since Assad’s forces launched a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protests that have swept the country since mid-March.The authorities also escorted some 60 journalists to Hama, where Assad’s regime said troops went in to fight “armed terrorist gangs” the president accuses of fuelling the violence.Journalists were taken to a police station in Al-Hader neighbourhood that was torched by “saboteurs,” according to police officer Osama Khalluf.