Syria has agreed on a truce in the north-western region of Idlib starting later Thursday night, the state-run Syrian News Agency (SANA) reported.

Citing a military source, the agency said the truce will take place on the condition that a Turkish-Russian deal that was reached in Sochi in September to create a demilitarized buffer zone in Idlib is implemented.

The agency reported that rebel groups should retreat 20 kilometres from the demilitarized zone and that jihadist and rebel groups should also withdraw heavy and medium weaponry from the zone, as per the Sochi agreement.

The Sochi agreement provides that a buffer zone in a 15-to-20-square-kilometre area is supposed to separate Syrian troops and rebels in Idlib, and will be monitored by Russian and Turkish troops.

The government's announcement came as a new round of talks on Syria was held in the capital of Kazakhstan, Nursultan.

The meeting is expected to be attended by delegates from Iran, Russia and Turkey, the government of Syria and the Syrian armed opposition.

Representatives from Jordan, as well as Lebanon and Iraq, will participate for the first time in the negotiating process as observers.

The two-day talks are suppose to tackle the issue of prisoners, the fate of Idlib and the formation of a constitutional committee for Syria.