Syrian state media is reporting that insurgents have shelled a government-held town in the country's northwest, killing five children and a woman.

State TV said the shelling on Sunday had caused widespread material damage to the town of Suqailabiyah.

State news agency SANA said Syrian troops have retaliated by firing shells toward insurgents' positions on the southern edge of Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in the country. Al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is the main insurgent group in the area.

The enclave has been rocked by a wave of violence since April 30, killing and wounding dozens while forcing some 150,000 people to flee their homes in rebel-held areas.

Syrian troops have been on the offensive under the cover of airstrikes for days, capturing several strategic locations and villages.