An Algerian military cargo aircraft has crashed, killing 257 people, reports the Washington Post.

The Il-76 transport went down shortly after taking off from an airbase south of Algiers, said the Algerian Ministry of Defense. The aircraft was headed to Bechar in southwestern Algeria.

The death toll included 247 passengers and 10 crewmembers. The passengers included soldiers and their families, said the ministry.

The aircraft was scheduled to stop in the town of Tindouf...