The town was held by Syrian rebels since 2012 and was under control of several groups, including Syrian Turkmen and al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, AFP added.
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Citing a military source, state television said Syria’s “armed forces, in coordination with the Popular Defense (militia), seized control of the town of Rabia”.
Russian operation room commanded by Russian officers is supervising the Syrian forces’ battles against the rebels in the northern countryside of Latakia, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It paved the way for a push by pro-government forces right up to the Turkish border, it said.
Russia previously said its military experts were on ground in Syria, however, reports of Russian soldiers fighting is something new.
Backed by Russian air power, pro-regime forces are chipping away at that territory in a bid to secure the Assad clan’s heartland.
The Russian air force has been striking the positions of the ultra-radical groups in Syria since last September.
On Saturday, Syrian troops recaptured Rabia, which lies in the northern part of the province and close to the border with Turkey, Arabic-language Syria Now news website reported.
But the monitoring group says warplanes from the two nations have also killed 164 civilians – including dozens of children – in the last three days in eastern Deir Ezzor province.
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The latest advance on Sunday comes ahead of peace talks originally set for Monday but which now look likely to be delayed, partly due to a dispute over the opposition negotiating team’s composition.
