Syria's military said a pilot had been rescued after his plane crashed following a bombing raid against Islamic State militants north of the capital Damascus on Wednesday, state media reported.

State media quoted a military source as saying the plane crashed in the Eastern Qalamoun area north of the capital but did not say whether a technical fault or an attack was to blame.

Earlier Amaq news agency which is affiliated to the militants had claimed in a statement it had downed a Syrian army plane. A monitor also reported the crash.