A private jet carrying Libya's most senior military commander has crashed shortly after departing from Turkey's capital, Ankara, killing all five people on board in a devastating blow to the North African nation.
A Fatal Return from High-Stakes Talks
General Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, the chief of Libya's military, was returning from an official visit to Turkey when the tragedy unfolded on the evening of Tuesday, 23 December 2025. The Libyan delegation had been engaged in high-level defence discussions aimed at strengthening military cooperation between the two nations and addressing pressing regional security issues.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the general's death in a public statement, describing the event as a "tragic accident" and a "great loss" for Libya. He noted the delegation was on its way home when the plane went down.
Timeline of the Disaster
Turkish authorities reported that the Falcon 50 type business jet took off from Ankara's Esenboga Airport at 8:30 p.m. local time. Contact with air traffic control was lost approximately 40 minutes into the flight, which was bound for Libya.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated the aircraft issued an emergency landing signal near the district of Haymana, south of Ankara, before all communications ceased. Security camera footage broadcast on Turkish television later showed the night sky over Haymana illuminated by what appeared to be a sudden explosion.
Officials in Libya attributed the loss of contact to a technical malfunction. Turkish search teams located the wreckage of the jet, though Ankara did not immediately confirm the fatalities.
Significance of the Loss and Investigation
General al-Haddad was the top military commander in western Libya and a pivotal figure in United Nations-brokered efforts to unify the country's fractured military institutions. His death represents a major setback for stability in a nation long divided by conflict.
During his visit, al-Haddad had met with Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler and the Turkish Chief of General Staff, General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu. The airport in Ankara was temporarily closed following the incident, with several flights diverted.
In response to the crash, Turkey's Justice Ministry has assigned four prosecutors to lead the investigation, a standard procedure for such serious aviation incidents. The probe will seek to determine the exact cause of the technical failure that led to the crash.
