Libyan Army chief killed as private jet crashes after take-off from Turkey

Ankara: Libyan military chief Muhammad Ali Ahmed al-Haddad has been killed in a plane crash in Turkey. On Tuesday, a private jet carrying General Ahmed Ali, four other officers, and three crew members crashed shortly after taking off from Ankara, the capital of Turkey, killing everyone on board. Libyan officials said the plane crashed due to a technical malfunction. According to Turkish authorities, the Libyan delegation was in Ankara for high-level defense talks focused on strengthening military cooperation between Libya and Turkey.

Libyan Prime Minister Confirms Death

Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah confirmed the death of General Muhammad Ali Ahmed al-Haddad in a statement on Facebook. He described the plane crash as a tragic accident and a great loss for the country. Libyan officials said that contact with the aircraft was lost about half an hour after takeoff due to a technical malfunction.

Al-Haddad was a top military commander in the army of the UN-backed government that controls the western part of Libya. He played a key role in ongoing UN-mediated efforts to unify the Libyan army. The Libyan army, like other Libyan institutions, is divided.

Ground Forces Chief Also Killed

The four other officers killed in the accident have been identified as General Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, head of Libya's Ground Forces; Brigadier General Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, head of the Military Manufacturing Authority; Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab, advisor to the Chief of Staff; and Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a military photographer in the Chief of Staff's office. The identities of three crew members have not yet been determined.

Wreckage found 70 km from Ankara

Turkish authorities said the wreckage of a Falcon 50 type business jet was found near the village of Kesikkavak in the Haymana district, approximately 70 kilometers south of Ankara. Turkish air traffic controllers said on Tuesday evening that they lost contact with the aircraft, which was returning to Libya after taking off from Ankara's Esenboğa Airport. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a social media post that the plane took off at 8:30 p.m. and contact was lost 40 minutes later. Before all communication ceased, the aircraft had signaled an emergency landing near Haymana.