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Turkey plans to push Syrian government forces away from its military observation posts in northwest Syria's Idlib region by the end of February, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, despite advances by the Russian-backed military, Al Jazeera reported. 

"We are planning to liberate our observation posts from the surrounding [Syrian government forces] by the end of this month, one way or another," Erdogan told his party's parliamentarians in a speech on Wednesday.

Russia controls the region's airspace and has been bombing Turkey-backed rebels on a daily basis in support of a months-long offensive by Syrian government forces which has killed hundreds of civilians and displaced nearly one million people amid bitter winter cold.

Syrian fighters, backed by the Turkish military, seized the town of Nairab in Idlib this week, according to rebel and Turkish sources, but Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's troops continue to make advances elsewhere in the province.

"The time we have given to those who besieged our observation towers is running out," Erdogan said. "We are planning to save those of our observation posts from the besiegers one way or another by the end of this month."

Erdogan said on February 5 that al-Assad's forces must pull back behind a line of Turkish observation posts by the end of February - or Turkey would drive them back militarily.

He added: "The biggest problem we have is that we cannot use the airspace" over Idlib, which is controlled by Russia.

"Hopefully, we will find a solution soon," he said.

The president also said Turkey was adamant to help Syrians displaced from Idlib because of the heavy fighting.

"We will not take a smallest step back in Idlib, we will certainly push the regime outside the borders we designated, and ensure the return of the people to their homes," Erdogan said.