Zambia's former President Edgar Lungu has died at the age of 68, his party has said in a statement.

He had "been receiving specialized treatment in South Africa" for an undisclosed illness, the Patriotic Front added.

Lungu led Zambia for six years from 2015, losing the 2021 election to the current President Hakainde Hichilema by a large margin.

After that defeat he stepped back from politics but later returned to the fray and appeared to have ambitions to run for the presidency again.

In a video statement, Lungu's daughter Tasila said that the former head of state, who had been "under medical supervision in recent weeks", died at 06:00 (04:00 GMT) on Thursday.

"In this moment of grief, we invoke the spirit of 'One Zambia, One Nation' - the timeless creed that guided President Lungu's service to our country," she added. BBC