Syrian Tanks Withdraw from Hama

The Syrian government appeared to have full control of the country after authorities proclaimed the army had pulled out of the streets of Hama on August 11. Hama suffered storming of troops who crushed large pro-democracy protests in an attack that residents said killed scores of civilians, reviving memories of a massacre by the military three decades ago.

Syrian army returned to its barracks, two days after Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu visited the Syrian capital Damascus urging the Syrian President Bashar Al Assad to end the bloody crackdown on his people.

Tanks were no longer seen on the street but armed men and soldiers at a series of checkpoints in the city of Hama. Governor's building in the central square was lined by two military vehicles fitted with machine guns.

The Hamidiyeh Mosque endured damages of Hama's week-long turmoil included a metre-wide hole blown into the back. This is one of the many buildings that encountered heavy firing.

According to human rights activist, over 1,700 civilians have been killed nationwide Authorities have blamed armed extremists for the violence and said 500 soldiers and police have also been killed.
A group of young boys gathered together outside the Hamidiyeh Mosque chanting slogans for Assad's overthrow.