Artillery fire hit at least two houses in the morning, a rebel commander in Taftanaz who gave his name as Abu Omar told AFP, without reporting casualties, He said most of the town has been deserted for weeks.

Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters overflew Taftanaz throughout the day, as rebels in the small town took shelter inside houses, an AFP correspondent said.

Taftanaz is located two kilometres (just over a mile) from a major military airbase from where helicopters take off round the clock to pound rebel-held towns in the area.

On Wednesday, a group of rebels attacked the airbase but failed to take control of the site.