Libya’s Army Chief Killed in Plane Crash After Leaving Ankara

Libya’s army chief of staff, General Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, died when a small jet carrying him and four others crashed shortly after leaving Ankara, Turkey, officials said.

The Dassault Falcon 50 aircraft lost contact with air traffic control about 42 minutes after taking off from Esenboga Airport, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X. Wreckage was later found near Kesikkavak village in Ankara’s Haymana district. Officials said the plane had asked to make an emergency landing, but no response could be reached.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah called the crash “a tragic and painful incident,” saying it was a huge loss for the country, its military, and its people. Along with Al-Haddad, the jet carried the commander of Libya’s ground forces, the director of the military manufacturing authority, an adviser to the chief of staff, and a military photographer.

The cause of the crash is not yet known. Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc confirmed that an official investigation is underway, while Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) sent a team to Ankara to follow the situation, according to Dawn.

Al-Haddad had been in Ankara for official talks with Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler and other top military officials, the GNU said. The plane was a leased Maltese jet, and officials said they did not have full details about its ownership or technical history.

Libya has been divided since 2014, with the west controlled by Dbeibah’s GNU and the east by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces, according to the Stimson Centre. Analysts warn that Al-Haddad’s sudden death could make it harder to stabilize Libya’s military leadership in the west.

Rescue teams worked for hours at the crash site to recover remains and secure the area. The Libyan government has not yet said when a full crash report will be released.

Tribune reported that the tragedy has already drawn widespread condolences across Libya, showing the deep impact of losing one of the country’s top military leaders at such a critical time.