Libyan Military Chief Killed in Plane Crash in Turkey

Libyan military chief Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad and six others, including senior advisers and crew members, were killed when their plane crashed in Turkey after reporting a technical failure while returning from an official visit to Ankara. The incident occurred about 70 kilometers south of the Turkish capital, amid close diplomatic and military ties between Turkey and Libya’s UN-backed government.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah on Tuesday confirmed the death of Libyan military chief Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad following a plane crash in Turkey, describing the incident as a tragic loss for the country.
Earlier, Turkey’s interior minister disclosed that air traffic controllers had lost contact with a Dassault Falcon 50-type private jet transporting the Libyan military chief and other members of a Libyan delegation as they were returning home after an official visit to Turkey. The aircraft had departed from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport at 8:10 p.m. local time, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who shared the details in a post on social media. He added that communication with the jet was lost approximately 40 minutes after takeoff.
Further details were provided by Burhanettin Duran, head of the Turkish presidency’s communications directorate, who stated that the aircraft had reported a technical malfunction during the flight. As a result, the crew requested permission for an emergency landing. However, shortly after making the request, the plane lost contact with air traffic control. The aircraft later crashed roughly 70 kilometers, or about 43.5 miles, south of the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Turkey maintains close diplomatic and military ties with Libya’s United Nations-backed government, based in Tripoli, and has been a key supporter of the administration through political backing and military assistance.
In an official statement published on his Facebook page, Prime Minister Dbeibah said the “tragic accident” occurred while the Libyan delegation was returning from an official mission to Ankara, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of those on board.
The passengers were identified as Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad’s adviser Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab, Major General Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, adviser Mahmoud al-Qatiwi, and photographer Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub. Turkish authorities also confirmed that all three crew members operating the aircraft were killed in the crash.
Libya has remained deeply unstable since the overthrow and death of longtime leader Moammer Gadhafi in 2011, a period that marked the beginning of prolonged conflict and political fragmentation. The country has since been plagued by internal power struggles, often fueled by the involvement of foreign actors. Currently, Prime Minister Dbeibah leads a government based in western Libya, while a rival administration headed by Prime Minister Osama Hammad, which is backed by Russia, operates from the eastern part of the country.