Erdogan offers condolence to Algerian PM over plane crash

By Enes Kaplan

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolence to Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahya on Thursday over a plane crash which killed hundreds, presidential sources said.

During a phone conversation, Erdogan asked Ouyahya to convey his condolence to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, said the sources, who refused to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Erdogan said the Turkish flag in Turkey's Embassy in Algeria will be flown at half mast for three days to mourn the incident.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also offered his condolence on Wednesday.

At least 257 people were killed on Wednesday when an Algerian military plane crashed near Algiers, according to the Algerian Defense Ministry.

In a statement, the ministry said that the ill-fated aircraft had been heading for Algeria’s southwestern town of Bechar when it went down.

Most of the victims were reportedly Algerian military personnel and their families.