MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. Syrian troops in the Idlib province were attacked by a group of terrorists, but repelled it successfully, killing at least five gunmen, the deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian Defense Ministry), Capt. 1st Rank Oleg Ignasyuk said.

"In the past day, Syrian pro-government forces fought back an attack by a group of terrorists near the settlement of Bnin in the Idlib province. At least five militants were killed," Ignasyuk said.

In a separate development, a Syrian serviceman was killed when terrorists, armed with a heavy machine-gun, attacked government troops in the Latakia province.