Syria's Bashar Assad forces retook a front-line town in Latakia province from the moderate opposition forces on Tuesday, a monitoring group and state media said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said regime troops and fighters from Lebanon's allied Hezbollah movement have entered Salma, located northeast of Latakia's coastal capital, nearly 30 kilometers from Turkey's border. Syria's state news agency SANA said Assad's troops had taken control of Salma and nearby hills.

Regime forces were supported by dozens of air strikes, the Observatory said, adding that Russian officers were overseeing the assault.

The army and its allies have gained ground in Aleppo and Latakia provinces, but rebels have managed to advance in other regions including Hama province.

Assad forces, including Iranian troops and Hezbollah fighters are backed by Russian air support in Syria. Russian warplanes have bombed rebels in Latakia province, including in the Jabal Akrad and Jabal Turkman areas, killing mostly the civilians.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on Russia's actions in war-torn Syria, saying that Moscow was preparing the ground to create a 'boutique' Syrian state around the northern province of Latakia and that it has been carrying out attacks against Turkmens there.

Russia began air operations in Syria on Sept. 30 after receiving parliamentary approval. The Kremlin claimed responsibility for the airstrikes, which followed a military build-up in Syria, aimed to support the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad, a long-standing Russian ally, against Daesh. However, Turkey and the West have accused Russia of targeting moderate fighters opposed to Assad, many of which are supported by Turkey and the U.S.