Syrian rebels captured the key city of Hama on Thursday, marking a major victory in their ongoing offensive across northern Syria and delivering a significant blow to President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies.

The Syrian army announced its withdrawal from Hama, citing efforts to “preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat.” Rebel forces reported seizing districts in the city’s northeast, including the central prison, where detainees were freed.

Footage aired on Al Jazeera showed insurgents celebrating with residents and patrolling the city in military vehicles and on mopeds.

Hama, a government stronghold throughout Syria’s civil war, lies strategically between Aleppo and Damascus. Its fall could pave the way for a rebel push toward Homs, a vital crossroads city connecting Syria’s most populous regions.

The rebel advance follows their capture of Aleppo last week. After taking a strategic hill north of Hama earlier this week, insurgents moved swiftly to encircle and seize the city’s east and west flanks.

Hama holds deep symbolic significance as the site of a brutal crackdown by the Assad regime in 1982 during a previous Islamist uprising. Its fall marks a turning point in the conflict, as rebels challenge the regime’s territorial control.