The insurgents had been fighting to reach Hama since Tuesday, to encircle the city from the north, east and west, where they clashed with the Syrian army ... to redraw the map of the region.

A sectarian-fueled killing spree exposed how fragile peace is in Syria, where the government’s control is limited and tension ...

During a visit to Palmyra, reporters found traces of the many forces that had fought over the city and ancient monuments ...