U.S. military plane damaged at air base near Iraq's capital

A U.S. C-130 Hercules airplane on Monday sustained damage when landing at a military airbase to the north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, an Iraqi army source said.

The incident took place at night when the plane slid off the runway at Camp Taji, some 20 km north of Baghdad, and hit the concrete blocks at the end of the runway, leading to the damage of one of its engines as well as other parts of the plane, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. military in Iraq.

Camp Taji, frequently targeted by insurgent mortar and rocket attacks, is a huge Iraqi military base with an airbase where some U.S. troops are stationed.

More than 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces in the battles against the Islamic State militants, mainly providing training and advising to the Iraqi forces.

(CGTN)