Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler meets with Libya's service main of unit Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad successful Ankara, Turkey, December 23, 2025.
Defence Ministry | Via Reuters
The Libyan army's main of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, died successful a level clang connected Tuesday aft leaving Turkey's superior Ankara, the premier curate of Libya's internationally recognised authorities said, adding that 4 others were connected the pitchy arsenic well.
"This followed a tragic and achy incidental portion they were returning from an authoritative travel from the Turkish metropolis of Ankara. This sedate nonaccomplishment is simply a large nonaccomplishment for the nation, for the subject institution, and for each the people," Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah said successful a statement.
He said the commandant of Libya's crushed forces, the manager of its subject manufacturing authority, an advisor to the main of staff, and a lensman from the main of staff's bureau were besides connected the aircraft.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said connected societal media level X that the level had taken disconnected from Ankara's Esenboga Airport astatine 1710 GMT en way to Tripoli, and that vigor interaction was mislaid astatine 1752 GMT. He said authorities recovered the plane's wreckage adjacent the Kesikkavak colony successful Ankara's Haymana district.
He added that the Dassault Falcon 50-type pitchy had made a petition for an exigency landing portion implicit Haymana, but that nary interaction was established.
The origin of the clang was not instantly clear.
Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an probe into the clang was nether way.
The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity said successful a connection that the premier curate directed the defence curate to nonstop an authoritative delegation to Ankara to travel up connected proceedings.
Walid Ellafi, authorities curate of governmental affairs and connection for the GNU, told broadcaster Libya Alahrar that it was not wide erstwhile a clang study would beryllium ready, but that the pitchy was a leased Maltese aircraft. He added that officials did not person "sufficient accusation regarding its ownership oregon method history," but said this would beryllium investigated.
Libya's U.N.-recognised Government of National Unity announced authoritative mourning crossed the state for 3 days.
Turkey's defence ministry had announced Haddad's sojourn earlier, saying helium had met with Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Turkish counterpart Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, on with different Turkish subject commanders.
The clang occurred a time aft Turkey's parliament passed a determination to widen the mandate of Turkish soldiers' deployment successful Libya by 2 much years.
NATO subordinate Turkey has militarily and politically supported Libya's Tripoli-based, internationally recognised government. In 2020, it sent subject unit determination to bid and enactment its authorities and aboriginal reached a maritime demarcation accord, which has been disputed by Egypt and Greece.
In 2022, Ankara and Tripoli besides signed a preliminary accord connected vigor exploration, which Egypt and Greece besides oppose.
However, Turkey has precocious switched people nether its "One Libya" policy, ramping up contacts with Libya's eastbound faction arsenic well.
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