Russian airstrikes in Syria's Idlib kill ten civilians

Russian air strikes on Syrian opposition areas have killed at least ten civilians, a war monitor said on Friday, as attacks on Idlib province intensify again.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitor, said among the dead were two children, which hit the villages of Kafrnabel and Tal Hawash.

Russia and Iran - allies of the regime - have held two days of talks with rebel backer Turkey in Kazakhstan.

Russia and Turkey agreed a buffer zone deal for Idlib in September, to prevent a massive regime offensive on the Idlib region.

Bombardments on Idlib have intensified since radical rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took full control of the northwestern Syrian province in January.

Clashes between HTS and regime fighters on the border of Idlib have also been common.

In a statement released by Turkey, Iran and Russia following the Astana meeting, they expressed concern about HTS extending its influence in Idlib.

They stressed their "determination to continue cooperation in order to ultimately eliminate" HTS and the Islamic State group, the statement said.

Syria's war has killed around half-a-million people and displaced millions since the conflict began with the repression of anti-government protests in 2011.