ANKARA/TRIPOLI, Tuesday, December 23, 2025 (WNP): Libya’s Chief of Staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, died in a plane crash on Tuesday while returning from an official visit to Turkey, the country’s internationally recognised government confirmed. Four other passengers, including senior military officials, were also on board the jet.
“This tragic incident is a grave loss for the nation, for our military institution, and for all the people,” Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah said in a statement.
Among the victims were the commander of Libya’s ground forces, the director of the military manufacturing authority, an adviser to the chief of staff, and a photographer from the chief of staff’s office.
According to Turkish authorities, the Dassault Falcon 50-type aircraft departed Ankara’s Esenboga Airport at 1710 GMT, but radio contact was lost at 1752 GMT. The wreckage was later found near Kesikkavak village in Ankara’s Haymana district. The jet reportedly requested an emergency landing over Haymana, but no further contact could be established.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc confirmed that a formal inquiry is ongoing. The aircraft was a leased Maltese jet, with officials noting that its ownership and technical history are still being verified.
Libya’s Government of National Unity announced three days of national mourning and directed the defence minister to send an official delegation to Ankara to follow up on the crash proceedings.
Al-Haddad had visited Turkey to meet Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler and counterpart Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, alongside other senior military officials, as part of ongoing defence and strategic discussions. The crash comes a day after Turkey’s parliament extended the mandate of its troops in Libya for two more years.
Turkey has historically supported Libya’s Tripoli-based, UN-recognised government both politically and militarily, including training missions and a disputed maritime demarcation accord. Ankara has also been engaging with Libya’s eastern factions under its “One Libya” policy, signaling a shift in its regional strategy.
The loss of Al-Haddad marks a significant blow to Libya’s military leadership amid ongoing internal and regional complexities.
