The head of Libya’s armed forces, Lieutenant General Mohammed al-Haddad, and four other senior military officials died on Tuesday when their business jet crashed shortly after taking off from Ankara, Turkey.
Three crew members were also killed.
Turkish authorities located the wreckage of the Falcon 50 aircraft in the Haymana district near Ankara.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the plane lost contact 42 minutes after takeoff from Esenboga Airport and had requested an emergency landing due to an electrical failure.
Libya’s Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah expressed sorrow over Haddad’s death on Facebook, while Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc confirmed that the Ankara chief prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation.
Others on board included Haddad’s advisor Mohammed Al-Assawi, Major General Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, Major General Mohammed Jumaa, and their escort Mohammed Al-Mahjoub.
Haddad had served as Libya’s army chief since August 2020. Libya remains politically divided between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and the administration in the east led by Commander Khalifa Haftar.
