Libya’s Army Chief of Staff, General Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, has died in a plane crash. The incident occurred on Tuesday near Ankara, the Turkish capital, according to statements from Libyan and Turkish authorities.
The Dassault Falcon 50 jet was returning from an official visit to Ankara when it crashed. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated the plane took off from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport and lost radio contact shortly after.
The pilot had requested an emergency landing over the Haymana district, but no further contact was established. Wreckage was found near Kesikkavak village.
💢 Libya’s Tripoli-based government confirms death of army chief and 4 aides in an air crash near the Turkish capital Ankara
🚨 Earlier, Turkish interior minister says contact drops with Tripoli-bound jet carrying Libyan army chief after takeoff from Ankara… pic.twitter.com/ZdHOREnwmB
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) December 23, 2025Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah confirmed the deaths. He called the incident a “great loss for the nation.” Alongside General Al-Haddad, four other senior officials perished:
- The commander of Libya’s ground forces
- The director of its military manufacturing authority
- An adviser to the chief of staff
- A photographer from the chief of staff’s office
Context of the Official Visit and Regional Ties
The crash occurred after General Al-Haddad met with Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler and other military commanders. The visit underscored the close military and political ties between Turkey and Libya’s internationally recognised government in Tripoli.
Read: Pakistan Army Chief Meets Libyan Commander Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi
Significantly, the crash happened one day after Turkey’s parliament extended its military deployment mandate in Libya by two more years. Turkey has been a key supporter of the Tripoli-based administration, providing military training and signing controversial maritime and energy agreements. The cause of the crash is not yet clear and remains under investigation by Turkish authorities.
