Libya in Mourning After Military Chief Killed, Turkey Launches Inquiry

Libya Declares National Mourning Following the Death of Chief of Staff in Plane Crash in Turkey

The Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU) has declared three days of official national mourning and ordered flags to be flown at half-mast across all state institutions. This follows the tragic death of General Mohammed Ali al-Haddad, Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan Army, along with four high-ranking officials, in a plane crash shortly after takeoff from Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday evening.

Victims of the Tragic Accident

Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh confirmed the names of those lost while returning from an official mission:

1. General Mohammed Ali al-Haddad (Chief of the General Staff).

2. Lieutenant General al-Fitouri Ghribel (Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces).

3. Brigadier General Mahmoud al-Qatiwi (Director of the Military Manufacturing Authority).

4. Mohammed al-Asawi Diab (Consultant to the Chief of Staff).

5. Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub (Photographer at the Chief of Staff's Media Office).

Circumstances and Ongoing Investigations

• Location and Timing: The aircraft crashed near the village of "Kesikkavak" in the Haymana district (approximately 2 km from the village) after departing Ankara's Esenboğa Airport at 17:10 GMT. Radio contact was lost at 17:52 GMT shortly after the crew requested an emergency landing

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• Preliminary Causes: Technical reports suggest a sudden electrical failure prompted the aircraft to issue a distress signal and attempt an emergency landing before disappearing from radar screens.

• Turkish Response: The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an urgent and comprehensive investigation. Four public prosecutors have been assigned to the case, overseen by the Deputy Chief Prosecutor, to determine the exact cause of the crash.

• Libyan Response: Prime Minister Dbeibeh instructed the Ministry of Defense to dispatch an official delegation to Ankara to coordinate with Turkish authorities. A "crisis cell" has also been established to manage the incident’s repercussions according to military protocols.

Official Statements

"The Libyan Minister of State for Communication, Walid al-Lafi, confirmed that Turkish authorities located the wreckage and recovered all bodies. He noted that all current indications point toward a technical malfunction as the cause of the crash."

 

General al-Haddad was in Turkey on an official visit following an invitation from his Turkish counterpart, during which he held several military meetings before the accident occurred on the return flight to Tripoli.