Libyan Army Chief Dies in Plane Crash in Turkey
On 23 December 2025, Libya's army chief of staff General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad died in a plane crash after departing Ankara. The private Dassault Falcon 50 aircraft carried Haddad along with four Libyan military officials, including the ground forces commander, director of the military manufacturing authority, an adviser to the chief of staff, and a photographer, as well as three crew members.
The aircraft took off from Esenboğa airport in Ankara at 17:10 GMT, but radio contact was lost at 17:52 GMT. The wreckage was found near Kesikkavak village in the Haymana district. According to the presidency’s communications directorate, an emergency landing request was made due to an electrical failure; however, no contact was established with air traffic control.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah confirmed Haddad's death and that four others had been on board, describing the incident as a grave loss.
The crash occurred a day after Turkey extended the mandate of Turkish soldiers deployed in Libya by two more years. Turkey has supported Libya’s Tripoli-based government and has pursued maritime and energy accords. Recently, there has been a shift under a broader ‘One Libya’ policy to engage with eastern factions as well.
