Russia on Thursday denied allegations by Syrian rebels that Russian special forces or ground troops were fighting in the campaign for the rebel-held region of Idlib, the state-run RIA news agency reported.

Senior rebel commanders said on Wednesday that Russia has sent special forces in recent days to fight alongside Syrian army troops struggling to make gains in a more than two-month assault in northwestern Syria to seize the last opposition bastion.

"Russia has had no and has no ground forces in Syria," the Defense Ministry was cited as saying.