Syrian state television says a military helicopter that crashed near Damascus, clipped the tail of a passenger plane in midair. The report said the passenger jet landed safely Thursday with 200 people onboard.

According to the arrivals and departures listed on the website of the Damascus International airport, it appears that only two flights would have been in the air at the time of the crash: and Air Arabia flight and a Kuwait Airways flight.

Opposition activists said rebels shot down the helicopter. Fighters opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have claimed to have downed military helicopters before, including late last month in Damascus.

VOA correspondent Elizabeth Arrott reported heavy shelling in the capital Thursday. She says classrooms are crowded in the al-Abbassiyin neighborhood not far from the shelling, as parents bring their children from nearby towns where fighting rages.

Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the government and the opposition in Syria appear determined to resolve the crisis militarily. He told reporters Wednesday that military means will not bring an answer, and the crisis should be resolved through political dialogue.

Mr. Ban said Syria will be a top issue as he meets with world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, saying they must urgently address the situation.