KABUL, June 19: A UN plane carrying Afghan Vice-President Nematullah Shahrani was forced to make an emergency landing on a bed of fire-fighting foam at Kabul on Thursday after its landing gear got stuck.

The 12-seater aircraft carrying two crew and eight passengers, including Mr Shahrani, officials and reporters was about to land at the central city of Bamian when the pilot was unable to lower the plane’s landing gear. After several attempts the pilot decided to return to Kabul international airport.

International Security Assistance Force troops and Afghan emergency services covered Kabul airport runway with fire-fighting foam, upon which the plane landed without incident, the news agency said.

Some 1,100 ISAF peacekeepers are based at Kabul international airport.

Mr Shahrani was travelling to Bamian for a consultation on the new draft constitution.—AFP