A Russian bombing raid on a Syrian town controlled by rebel forces has left at least 40 dead and dozens wounded.

The strike hit a popular market place on Sunday in the town of Ariha, north-west Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

The Observatory believes as many as 60 may have been killed in the attack, which was launched in support of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad.

Scroll down for video

Dozens more were injured, and people were pictured desperately trying to save people from the rubble

It is claimed at least 40 people died when Ariha's marketplace was hit by a Russian airstrike on Sunday

People were filmed trying to rescue survivors, and sobbing over the bodies of the dead in the aftermath

Film of the destruction shows the aftermath of the bombing, with survivors shown desperately trying to pull the wounded from burning rubble.

Bodies litter the streets, while hospital corridors are covered in blood.

The actual death toll has yet to be confirmed, but the pro-opposition Orient TV reported an initial death toll of 40.

Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Observatory, said a total of at least 60 people had been killed and wounded in the attack.

The town is in Idlib province, an area controlled by anti-government forces, including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front.

The province is not a stronghold of ISIS, which controls wide swathes of eastern Syria.

Russia says its airstrikes - which began at the end of September - are targeting ISIS and other 'terrorists', but Western officials and Syrian rebels say most of the strikes have focused on central and northern Syria, where ISIS does not have a strong presence. .

Russia has been carrying out strikes in Syria since September, but many have not targeted ISIS strongholds

This particular town is controlled by rebel groups, which has led to anger against Putin's forces

Vladimir Putin is a supporter of President Bashar Al Assad, who has been fighting his own people since 2011

The attacks came as Turkey warned that with so many different groups involved, another incident like the downing of the Russia jet could happen unless there was better information sharing

Russia supports President Bashar Al Assad, who has been fighting against rebel groups since March 2011.

Meanwhile, the body of the pilot killed when Turkey shot down a Russian jet last week was taken to Turkey late on Saturday to be handed over to Russia on Moscow's request, according to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

The body is being treated in accordance with the Orthodox tradition, Davutoglu said in a news conference in Ankara before going to Brussels for a meeting with EU leaders on migration.