A Syrian government warplane has crashed near a market area in the north-western town of Ariha, killing at least 23 people, activists say.

They said Monday’s crash happened amid heavy bombing.

“There were heavy raids on the area of Ariha before the Syrian warplane went down in the centre of the city,” Head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abel Rahman said.

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He added that 70 people were wounded.

Syrian opposition media outlets said dozens were injured.

There was no indication yet if the plane crash was the result of a technical problem or whether it was shot down.

Activists said the fate of the pilot is unknown.

Ariha is controlled mainly by the al-Qaeda-linked al Nusra Front and other hardline Islamist brigades.