An intense wave of Russian air strikes hit the Syrian provinces of Hama and Idlib early on Wednesday and was followed up with ground assaults by Assad regime forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Russia, a top ally of the Syrian ruler, started carrying out air strikes in Syria last week saying they were aimed at Islamic State militants.
But fighters on the ground and western countries have said the Russian campaign is mainly focusing on other rebel groups and is aimed at shoring up Assad rather than combating Isis.
Russia's Wednesday strikes targeted the towns of Kafr Zita, Kafr Nabudah, al-Sayyad and the village of al-Lataminah in Hama province and the towns of Khan Shaykhun and Alhbit in Idlib, the Observatory said.