Dozens of Syrian families Saturday fled a town in the northern province of Idlib after it was stormed by government forces, opposition activists said. 

"Sixty per cent of the population of the town of Saraqeb have already fled to areas near the Turkish border," the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement. 

Activists based in the area told dpa news agency that 26 Syrian tanks had entered the town and started razing houses where rebels were believed to be hiding. Several arrests were made.