Death of Libyan Chief of Staff Mohammed Al-Haddad in Plane Crash Near Ankara

Libyan Prime Minister of the “Interim Government of National Unity,” Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, announced the death of the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army, Mohammed Al-Haddad, along with a military delegation, following the crash of their aircraft in one of the suburbs of the Turkish capital, Ankara.

In a statement, the Libyan government announced the formation of an official investigation committee to look into the circumstances surrounding the plane crash. The committee will undertake direct coordination with the Turkish authorities to review the details of the incident and examine documents and reports related to the safety procedures in place.

The statement added that the committee will investigate any potential indications of negligence, dereliction, or criminal activity, in addition to coordinating efforts to facilitate the transfer of the victims’ bodies to Libya.

Earlier, Turkish authorities had announced the loss of contact with the Libyan Chief of Staff’s aircraft after it took off from Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport, heading toward the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

The incident occurred hours after Al-Haddad held talks in Ankara with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Turkish Chief of Staff Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, which addressed ways to enhance military cooperation between the two sides.