Baghdad: Iraqi forces shot down a Harrier fighter and an Apache attack helicopter in Central and Southern Iraq respectively, Information Minister Mohammad Said al-Sahhaf said on March 30.

He told reporters that the vertical take-off Harrier, which is used by Britain's Royal Air Force and the US Marine Corps, had exploded in flight after being hit by Baath Party forces near Qadisiyah.

Sahhaf gave no date, but said Iraqi civil defence units had recovered the pilot's identity card and parts of the aircraft.