Libya’s military chief and 7 others are killed in a plane crash after takeoff from Turkey

Libyan Military Chief Among Eight Killed in Turkey Plane Crash

A private jet carrying Libya’s top military commander and seven others crashed shortly after takeoff from Ankara on Tuesday, killing all passengers and crew members in what Libyan officials described as a technical malfunction.

General Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, the highest-ranking military commander in western Libya, was returning from high-level defense talks in Turkey aimed at strengthening military cooperation between the two nations when the Falcon 50 business jet went down approximately 70 kilometers south of Ankara.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the deaths in a statement, calling the incident a “tragic accident” and “great loss” for the country. Al-Haddad had been playing a pivotal role in ongoing United Nations-brokered efforts to unify Libya’s fractured military forces.

Four other high-ranking Libyan military officials perished alongside al-Haddad: General Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, head of Libya’s ground forces; Brigadier General Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, who led the military manufacturing authority; Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab, an advisor to the chief of staff; and Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a military photographer with the chief of staff’s office. The three crew members have not yet been publicly identified.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that the plane departed Esenboga airport at 8:30 p.m. local time, but air traffic controllers lost contact approximately 40 minutes later. According to Burhanettin Duran, head of Turkey’s presidential communications office, the aircraft reported an electrical fault and requested an emergency landing before disappearing from radar during its descent.

Local television stations broadcast security camera footage showing what appeared to be an explosion lighting up the night sky over Haymana district, where the wreckage was later discovered near the village of Kesikkavak. Turkish authorities temporarily closed Ankara’s airport and diverted several flights following the incident.

During his visit, al-Haddad had met with Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and other officials. The timing of the crash is particularly significant as it came just one day after Turkey’s parliament voted to extend the mandate for Turkish troops serving in Libya for an additional two years, underscoring the strategic military relationship between the nations.

Libya’s government announced it will dispatch an investigative team to work alongside Turkish authorities, who have already assigned four prosecutors to examine the cause of the crash, standard procedure in such incidents.

The deaths represent a significant setback for Libya’s fragile political landscape. Since the 2011 uprising that toppled dictator Moammar Gadhafi, Libya has been divided between competing eastern and western administrations, each backed by various militias and foreign powers. Al-Haddad’s position as western Libya’s military commander made him a crucial figure in the country’s complex power dynamics and reconciliation efforts.

Turkey has historically aligned itself with Libya’s western government based in Tripoli, deploying troops following a 2019 security agreement. However, Ankara has recently made overtures to improve relations with the rival eastern-based government in an apparent attempt to balance its regional influence.

The loss of al-Haddad and other senior military officials creates additional uncertainty for Libya’s unification process, potentially complicating ongoing diplomatic efforts to consolidate the country’s armed forces and establish lasting political stability.

The crash marks one of the most significant losses of Libyan military leadership since the country’s civil conflict began and comes at a critical juncture in Turkish-Libyan relations as both countries navigate a complex regional security environment in the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa.