Syrian government forces have managed to retake a strategic city in the southeastern suburbs of the country's northwestern province of Idlib from Turkish-backed militants.

Syria's official news agency SANA reported on Monday that Syrian army soldiers and their allies have entered the city of Saraqib after violent clashes with the extremists and severely hitting their positions and fortified lines.

Battles are still taking place on the outskirts of the city as the Turkish-backed militants are trying to re-enter the area.

Saraqib has a strategic significance as it overlooks the 450-kilometer-long M5 highway.

The M5 highway starts in southern Syria, near the border with Jordan, and runs all the way north to the city of Aleppo near the Turkish border.

Since 2012, the M5 had been controlled by various foreign-backed militant groups. Syrian government forces started regaining parts of the highway in 2014, but they were only able to take full control during the latest offensive.