Syrian army begins Hama assault

31 July 2011 Last updated at 01:09 ET

The Syrian army has begun an operation in the city of Hama, one of the centres of anti-government demonstrations.

Troops started moving into the city from at least three directions at dawn and residents told the BBC there was intense gunfire.

At least three tanks were seen near a mosque and there were reports of some residents putting up street barricades.

Syria has seen several months of protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

A doctor in Hama told Reuters news agency that tanks were firing heavy machine-guns and overrunning the makeshift barricades.

He said the main hospital was short of blood.

— ’re ’s , . : – .