Plane carrying US lawmakers shot at in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Aug 31 (Reuters) A US military plane carrying a US congressional delegation came under fire this week while taking off from Baghdad airport, forcing the crew to take evasive action, the military said today.

No one on board the C-130 aircraft was hurt during the ''surface-to-air'' attack yesterday, it said.

''The aircrew dispensed flares as a defensive countermeasure and conducted standard evasive maneuvers,'' the military said in a statement, adding the plane completed its flight.

The statement did not say who was among the congressional delegation nor specify the type of surface-to-air fire.

Numerous US lawmakers have been visiting Baghdad ahead of a series of pivotal reports to be delivered to Congress in the coming weeks on the security and political situation in Iraq.

Insurgents often try to attack US aircraft in Iraq, most commonly military helicopters.

Reuters RS GC2030