Nine militants were killed Saturday in Russian airstrikes on Syria's war-torn province of Idlib, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
"Russian strikes this morning targeted the Hurras al-Deen group and Ansar al-Tahwid in eastern Idlib... killing nine militants," said the Observatory, adding eight others were wounded.
Six of the dead were members of the al-Qaeda linked Hurras al-Deen, a group which is also targeted by the US-led coalition, AFP reported.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham -- a group led by Syria's former al-Qaeda affiliate -- extended its administrative control over the whole of Idlib in January, but other opposition factions remain present.
In late August, clashes between anti-government fighters and regime forces left more than 50 dead on both sides, when the militants attacked loyalist positions in the south.
