Damascus, Oct 13 (IANS): The Syrian air force Monday carried out as many as 40 airstrikes against rebel positions in central and northern Syria, a monitoring group reported.

The air force conducted 15 airstrikes on rebel positions in the northern province of Idlib and at least 23 others on rebel targets in the central province of Hama, said the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which relies on a network of activists on the ground.

Government troops have recently made progress against rebels in the northern countryside of Hama, stripping Al Qaeda-affiliated militants of key parts in the strategic area.

The SOHR did not elaborate on the losses and possible casualties that resulted from the government airstrikes, Xinhua reported.

Government troops have ramped up their assaults on rebel fighters in central and southern Syria recently in what observers believe is a new tactic aimed at taking advantage of U.-led airstrikes against Islamic State positions to achieve more progress against the rebels.