Syrian army and Russian jets target rebel towns north of Homs

Syrian army troops and their allies, backed by Russian jets, launched an attack on rebel-held towns north of the city of Homs on Thursday, Syrian state television and a group which monitors the war said.
The Russian air strikes hit targets around the town of Talbiseh and the villages of Teir Malla, Dar Kabira and Khalidiya, a few miles north of the mainly government-held city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The Syrian army backed by foreign allies including Iranian forces has launched several ground offensives to retake insurgent-held territory since Russian jets started air strikes against rebel targets mainly in western Syria two weeks ago.