A Russian major-general died and three other servicemen were injured after a bomb exploded in the path of a Russian military convoy near Deir el-Zour in Syria, the RIA news agency cited the defense ministry as saying on Tuesday.

A joint Turkish-Russian patrol in northwest Syria's Idlib region was hit by a blast Monday, but no troops were injured.

Monday’s attack was carried out by terrorists using a rocket-propelled grenade near the Ariha town of Idlib, Demirören News Agency (DHA) reported.

Last week, Russia said the joint military patrols in Idlib, carried out along the M4 highway linking Syria's east and west, had been suspended over increasing militant attacks in the area.

Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in Syria's war, agreed on March 5 to halt military activity in the northwestern Idlib region after an escalation of violence displaced nearly a million people and brought the two sides close to confrontation. The deal addresses Turkey's main concerns, stopping a flow of refugees and preventing the deaths of more Turkish soldiers on the ground.

As part of the agreement, Turkish and Russian forces have been carrying out joint patrols along the M4 highway linking Syria's east and west and establish a security corridor on either side of it.

The first patrols took place on March 15.