Syria’s army acknowledged Thursday it had lost control of the strategic central city of Hama for the first time since war broke out in 2011, amid a lighting rebel offensive.

"Over the past few hours, with the intensification of confrontations between our soldiers and terrorist groups... these groups were able to breach a number of axes in the city and entered it," a statement from the army said, adding that "military units stationed there have redeployed" outside the city.