UNITED NATIONS -- UN humanitarians said on Thursday they are gravely concerned about increased hostilities in northwest Syria.

DAMASCUS -- The Syrian army announced Thursday that it has redeployed its forces outside the western-central Syrian city of Hama after fierce battles with rebel groups, confirming that rebels have entered the city following intense attacks from multiple fronts.

"Over the past few days, our armed forces have fought fierce battles to repel and thwart the violent and successive attacks launched by terrorist organizations on the city of Hama from various directions and in large numbers, using all types of military equipment and assisted by infiltration groups," said a statement issued by the Syrian General Command of the Army and Armed Forces.

DAMASCUS -- Fighters from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a rebel militant group, are reported to have entered the northeastern neighborhoods of Hama, a city in west-central Syria, on Thursday, following one of the most intense attacks in the area to date, local radio station Sham FM reported.

DAMASCUS - The Syrian army forces engaged in fierce fighting in the central province of Hama against rebel factions, mainly the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), killing at least 300 militants, according to the Syrian Defense Ministry.