Battle of Hama

Evidence of fierce combat

For weeks, stories had reported that the ancient Syrian city of Hama had been severely damaged last month in a showdown between the radical Muslim Brotherhood and government troops loyal to President Hafez Assad. But the international press was never allowed near the city to view the destruction. Now, in these exclusive photographs obtained by TIME, the dimensions of the devastation are documented for the first time. Some areas, notably the old quarter and the Grand Mosque of Hama, were completely obliterated. High-rise apartment complexes were pocked with gaping holes, convincing evidence of the heavy weaponry employed to put down the uprising. Many residents managed to survive by hiding in their cellars, while others piled their be longings onto pickup trucks and fled the city.

Hama is well known as a bastion of the Muslim Brotherhood, a militant Islamic organization that is dedicated to overthrowing Assad. Still, the government was hardly prepared for the ferocious rebellion that was touched off when security forces swept through the city looking for rebel hideouts. Brotherhood leaders suddenly decided to settle old scores with the ruling Baath Party, killing a number of party officials. Then they used the loudspeakers atop the city's minarets to call for an insurrection.

The army responded with tanks, heavy artillery, infantry and commandos who were helicoptered into the city. Diplomatic sources estimated casualties to be in the thousands. Deeply troubled by the events, Assad's regime has even charged that the rebels were aided by Jordan and the U.S. Hama, meanwhile, remained under virtual military occupation last week, closed off to the outside world.

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