An Algerian transport plane with around 100 army personnel on board crashed on Wednesday shortly after taking off from an airbase outside the capital.

There was no immediate word on casualties after the plane went down near the Boufarik airbase.

According to an AFP photographer at the scene, thick black smoke rose from the wreckage of the plane which crashed in a field near the base.

Hundreds of ambulances and dozens of fire trucks with their sirens wailing rushed to the scene.

Around 100 military personnel were on board the Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane, a military source told AFP, asking not to be named.

Source: AFP