Libya’s top military officer, General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, has died in a plane crash in Turkey, the country’s prime minister confirmed. The accident also claimed the lives of four senior Libyan military officials and three crew members.
The Falcon 50 aircraft had taken off from Ankara on Tuesday evening, bound for Tripoli. Turkish authorities said the jet lost contact with air traffic control about 42 minutes after departure, at 20:52 local time (17:52 GMT).
Emergency Landing Request and Crash Details
Before contact was lost, the aircraft had reportedly requested an emergency landing. Its wreckage was later discovered southwest of Ankara, near the village of Kesikkavak in the Haymana district.
Turkish police have recovered the black box and voice recorder, while emergency teams continue to recover bodies from the site.
Libya Mourns Senior Military Leaders
Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh described the deaths as a “great loss” for the nation. He said the officers had served their country “with sincerity and dedication.” General Haddad and his team were in Turkey to discuss strengthening military and security cooperation between the two countries.
Turkey has been a key ally of Libya’s internationally recognized government in Tripoli since intervening in 2019 to counter forces from the east led by Khalifa Haftar, head of Libya’s rival Government of National Stability. The country has faced ongoing instability since the fall of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with numerous armed groups exploiting the security vacuum.
Investigation Underway
Turkish authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. The development comes at a sensitive time for Libya, which continues to struggle with political divisions and security challenges across the country.