A plane crash near Ankara, Türkiye, claimed the lives of Lieutenant General Mohammad al-Haddad, Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army, along with four other senior military officials, during their return from an official visit.
The incident occurred during the delegation’s return from Ankara, though no additional details about the circumstances of the crash have been disclosed.
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According to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, the wreckage of the private aircraft with registration number 9H-DFJ was found in the Haymana district, south of Ankara. The aircraft, a Falcon 50, had taken off from Esenboga Airport at 20:10 local time (17:10 GMT) bound for Tripoli. Contact with the crew was lost at 20:52 local time (17:52 GMT) after they issued an emergency signal indicating a possible forced landing in the area.
Among the victims are the Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces, the head of the military manufacturing authority, an advisor to the army chief, and a photographer from the press office.
The wreckage of a Tripoli-bound private jet carrying Libya’s Chief of General Staff has been found south of Ankara, Türkiye’s interior minister said. The aircraft sent an emergency landing signal near Haymana before contact was lost.
The Libyan government has confirmed that its… pic.twitter.com/YaryMdtGe9
— TRT World (@trtworld) December 23, 2025
Previously, the Turkish Ministry of Defense had announced that Al-Haddad was in Ankara to meet with his Turkish counterpart and other senior commanders as part of military and security coordination between Libya and Türkiye.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh confirmed the news on Tuesday in a post on the social media platform X, expressing his “deep sorrow and grief” over the loss. “Libya has lost men who served their country with sincerity, discipline, and national commitment,” stated Dbeibeh, who offered condolences to the families, the army, and the Libyan people.
ببالغ الحزن والأسى، تلقّينا نبأ وفاة رئيس الأركان العامة للجيش الليبي الفريق أول ركن محمد الحداد ومرافقيه
رئيس أركان القوات البرية الفريق ركن الفيتوري غريبيل
ومدير جهاز التصنيع العسكري العميد محمود القطيوي
ومستشار رئيس الأركان العامة للجيش الليبي الأستاذ محمد العصاوي دياب…— عبدالحميد الدبيبة Abdulhamid AlDabaiba (@Dabaibahamid) December 23, 2025
The text reads: “With profound sadness and sorrow, we received the news of the death of the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army, First Lieutenant General Staff Muhammad Al-Haddad, and his companions…“
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