Military plane crashes in Sudan, killing all on board

KHARTOUM, Sudan

A Sudanese Air Force aircraft has crashed, killing all 18 passengers on board, the army announced late Thursday.

The Antonov An-12 cargo plane crashed five minutes after taking off from Geneina Airport in West Darfur state, army spokesman Brig. Amir Mohamed Alhassan told reporters.

He said the seven-member flight crew and 11 civilians were killed, including four children.

No official statements have been released on the cause of the crash.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar