Syrian forces have thwarted an offensive and infiltration attempt by armed militant groups sneaking from Turkish territories into Syrian border towns, killing 17 rebels, official media said on Saturday.

The militants tried to attack the border crossing in Kasab in the northern countryside of the Syrian coastal city Latakia, the report said.

The attack has raised the ire of the Syrian government, which renewed its accusation that Turkey is one of the main patrons and supporters of the armed militant groups.

Syria's permanent representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari has sent letters to the UN secretary-general and the head of the Security Council, charging the Turkish army of covering this terrorist attack and providing logistic and military support for the attackers.

He said this position shows that Turkey continues to support " terrorism" in the region, which constitutes "a violation of international law, the UN charter, and the basis of friendly and good neighbor relations among countries."

Al-Jaafari demanded that the Security Council condemn this " terrorist attack on Syrian territories from Turkish territories, condemn the Turkish involvement which consists of facilitating and covering the attack, and force the Turkish authorities to refrain from providing any sort of explicit or implicit support for terrorist activities in Syria."

The Syrian government has for long accused Turkey and other regional countries of supporting armed militant groups in Syria. Most of those militants are affiliated with al-Qaida and other jihadist groups.