Syrian government forces surrounded a Turkish observation post in the northwest province of Idlib on Monday after overrunning nearby areas, a war monitor said. "Regime forces have surrounded the Turkish observation post in Al-Surman after capturing several towns and villages, including Jarjanaz and Al-Surman" in the southeast of the province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights' Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Since Thursday, regime forces supported by Russian airstrikes have taken control of dozens of towns and villages near the strategic city of Maaret al-Numan. The regime launched a fresh assault on jihadist-held areas of Idlib in December in an effort to capture one of the largest urban centres in the opposition stronghold.

The fresh advances in Idlib came as Russian warplanes continued to pummel the province's south, fuelling an exodus of civilians, who fear further chaos. According to the Observatory, more than 30,000 people had fled the flashpoint area in southern Idlib in recent days. More than 40 civilians were reportedly killed in the region in the past week.

The Turkish observation point is the second to be encircled by Syrian regime forces, after that in the village of Morek during an offensive launched in April. The Turkish army is deployed at 12 observation posts in the Idlib region after a deal reached in September 2018 between regime-ally Moscow and Ankara, which backs the rebels, to avert an all-out regime onslaught against the last major opposition bastion in Syria.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2019