A top Syrian army general was killed while on duty in the county's eastern province of Deir al- Zour, the state-run SANA news agency reported on Thursday.

Jameh Jameh, head of the military intelligence directorate, was killed while conducting his national duty in defending Syria and its people and tracking down "terrorists" in Deir al-Zour, SANA said in a brief comment.

The state media spelled no further details about Jameh's death, while other media outlets said that Jameh, who was one of the most famous and powerful officers, was shot in the head by members of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in the oil-rich Deir al-Zour.

Intense battles have raged in Deir al-Zour between the government troops and the Nusra fighters.

Many top Syrian officers have lost their lives during the country's long-standing crisis, which shows no sign of abate despite the efforts to politically resolve it.