A group of Syrian journalists headed toward Hama were hit by an airstrike, killing photographer Anas Alkharboutli.

Fierce battles continue in the outskirts of Hama as Syrian opposition fighters advance after capturing much of Aleppo.

The rebels have set their sights on an area where President Bashar al-Assad’s government has long maintained strength.

Syrian rebels battled government forces and allied militia on Wednesday in villages north and east of Hama, a major city whose capture would pile pressure on President Bashar al-Assad.

If the insurgents seize the city of Hama, the coastal cities of Tartous and Latakia could be isolated from the rest of the country.

The army of President Bashar al-Assad has launched a counteroffensive following the rapid advance of an Islamist insurgent alliance in Syria. In the early hours of Wednesday, Syrian military forces pushed the rebels back to about 10 kilometres from the city of Hama,

A Syrian photographer working for the German news agency dpa was killed by a fighter jet attack near the Syrian city of Hama, dpa reported on Wednesday. A freelancer who was with Anas Alkharboutli when the strike happened said a group of journalists were heading into Hama countryside when they heard a plane.