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Rabat – The chief of staff of the Libyan army, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, has died in a plane crash near the Turkish capital, Ankara, Turkish and Libyan officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The crash happened on Tuesday evening shortly after the private jet he was travelling on took off from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport on its way to Tripoli. All eight people on board were killed, including al-Haddad, four senior Libyan military officials, and three crew members.
Turkish authorities said early investigations show no signs of sabotage. Officials believe the crash was caused by a technical failure.
According to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, the aircraft lost radio contact about 40 minutes after takeoff. The jet had requested an emergency landing after reporting an electrical problem, but it disappeared from radar while descending. The wreckage was later found in the Haymana district, south of Ankara. The plane’s black box has been recovered, and an official investigation is underway.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah confirmed al-Haddad’s death in a statement, calling the incident a “tragic accident” and describing it as a “great loss for the nation, the military establishment, and all the people.” He praised the officers who died for their dedication and service to Libya.
The four other Libyan officers killed were General Al-Fitouri Gharibil, head of Libya’s ground forces, Brigadier General Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, head of the Military Manufacturing Authority, Muhammad Al-Asawi Diab, adviser to the chief of staff, and Muhammad Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a military photographer.
The Libyan delegation had been in Ankara for high-level defence talks aimed at strengthening military cooperation between Libya and Turkiye. Following the crash, Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) announced three days of official mourning, with flags flown at half-mast and public celebrations suspended.
Al-Haddad was a key military figure in western Libya and played a role in United Nations-backed efforts to reunify the country, which has remained divided since 2014 after the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
