Libyan Army Chief of Staff killed in plane crash in Turkey

The Chief of Staff of the Libyan Armed Forces, Gen. Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, has died in a plane crash involving a Dassault Falcon 50 in Turkey on December 23, 2025. The aircraft departed Esenboğa Airport in Ankara at 7:10 p.m. Approximately 40 minutes later, while flying over the Haymana district, contact with the plane was lost. Authorities later confirmed that the aircraft crashed in the Kesikkavak area of Haymana. All passengers and crew on board were killed, according to a statement from the Turkish government. In addition to Gen. al-Haddad, the crash claimed the lives of several

The Chief of Staff of the Libyan Armed Forces, Gen. Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, has died in a plane crash involving a Dassault Falcon 50 in Turkey on December 23, 2025. The aircraft departed Esenboğa Airport in Ankara at 7:10 p.m. Approximately 40 minutes later, while flying over the Haymana district, contact with the plane was lost. Authorities later confirmed that the aircraft crashed in the Kesikkavak area of Haymana. All passengers and crew on board were killed, according to a statement from the Turkish government. In addition to Gen. al-Haddad, the crash claimed the lives of several senior Libyan military officers and three crew members. The officers who died were Gen. Al-Fitourir Gharibil, commander of the ground forces; Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, head of the military industries department; Muhammad Al-Asawi Diab, an adviser to the Chief of Staff; and Mohammad Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a photographer. Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said the accident occurred as Gen. al-Haddad and his delegation were returning from an official visit to Turkey focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation. “This tragic incident is a profound loss to the nation, the armed forces, and the Libyan people,” Dbeibah said. “We have lost men who served their country with integrity and dedication and who embodied a strong sense of duty and patriotism.” The Turkish government said preliminary investigation findings indicate that the aircraft was not attacked. Instead, the crash was caused by technical problems that prevented the plane from completing its flight. Following the deaths of Gen. al-Haddad and his colleagues, the Libyan government declared three days of national mourning.