Tank assault on central Hama kills 45: activist (Reuters)

AMMAN (Reuters) – At least 45 civilians were killed on Wednesday in a tank assault by Syrian government troops to occupy the center of Hama, an activist who managed to leave the besieged city told Reuters on Thursday.

Forty people were killed by heavy machinegun fire and shelling by tanks in al-Hader district north of the Orontes river, said the activist, who gave his name as Thaer.

Residents earlier said tanks advanced into central Hama on Wednesday and occupied the main square, the of some of the largest protests against President Bashar al-Assad in a four-month uprising.

(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom; Editing by Michael Roddy)

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