Beirut, Aug 27 (IANS/RIA Novosti): A pro-government Syrian TV channel, al-Dunya, has denied media reports that said Jamil Hassan, head of Syria's air force intelligence, had been assassinated.

Citing Syrian opposition sources, Al-Arabiya TV reported Sunday that the air force intelligence chief had been shot dead in his Damascus office by one of his aides, a secret supporter of the opposition.

Hassan is considered one of President Bashar al-Assad's closest advisors.

"The information about the assassination of Syria's air force intelligence chief Jamil Hassan is absolutely false," the al-Dunya channel said.

Meanwhile, in another development, Syrian Vice President Farouk Al-Sharaa made his first public appearance in several weeks Sunday, ending media rumours that he had defected to Jordan, according to Lebanon's Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV.

The official attended a meeting with Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran's national security and foreign policy parliamentary committee.