By pushing back militants towards the border with Homs province, the Syrian Army has reportedly managed to create a large buffer-zone along the key road linking the cities of Hama and al-Salamiyah in the country's southeast.

The United Nations strained to keep faltering Syrian peace talks alive on Wednesday as Damascus tried to press home gains against rebels and its ally Russia said its air strikes would go on until "terrorists" were defeated.

Syrian government forces and allied fighters seized the town of Ataman near the southern city of Deraa on Friday, Hezbollah's Al Manar television and a Syrian monitoring group said, building on gains made last week in the province.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians could be cut off from food supplies if Syrian government forces succeed in their offensive to encircle rebel-held parts of Aleppo, the United Nations said on Tuesday, warning of a massive new flight of refugees.