Tue Dec 23 21:04:37 UTC 2025: Summary:
A private jet carrying Libya’s Chief of General Staff, General Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, along with four other officers and three crew members, crashed after takeoff from Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. All passengers and crew died. The cause of the crash is believed to be a technical malfunction. The Libyan delegation was in Turkey for high-level defense talks aimed at strengthening military cooperation between the two nations. Turkish officials stated the plane issued an emergency landing signal after reporting an electrical fault. An investigation into the crash is underway involving both Turkish and Libyan authorities. The incident occurred shortly after Turkey’s parliament approved an extension of the mandate for Turkish troops serving in Libya.
News Article:
Libyan Military Chief, Delegation Killed in Turkey Plane Crash
Ankara, Turkey – A private jet carrying Libya’s Chief of the General Staff, General Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, and a delegation of high-ranking military officials crashed shortly after takeoff from Ankara on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, killing all eight people on board.
The Libyan delegation was in Turkey for defense talks focused on strengthening military ties between the two countries. According to Turkish officials, the aircraft, a Falcon 50-type business jet, reported an electrical fault and requested an emergency landing shortly after departing Ankara’s Esenboga airport. Air traffic control attempted to redirect the plane, but contact was lost.
“The plane notified air traffic control of an electrical fault and requested an emergency landing. The aircraft was redirected back to Esenboga, where preparations for its landing began” said Burhanettin Duran, head of Turkish presidential communications office.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed contact was lost approximately 40 minutes after takeoff. The wreckage was later discovered near the village of Kesikkavak, about 70 kilometers south of Ankara. Security camera footage captured a sudden explosion lighting up the night sky in the area.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the deaths of General al-Haddad and the four other officials, calling the incident a “great loss” for Libya. The other deceased officers were identified as Gen Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, Brig Gen Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab, and Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub. The identities of the three crew members have not yet been released.
Turkish authorities have launched an investigation into the crash, and a Libyan team is en route to Ankara to assist. The cause is currently attributed to a technical malfunction.
The incident comes a day after the Turkish parliament approved an extension of the mandate for Turkish troops stationed in Libya. Turkey has been a key ally of the Libyan government in the west, deploying troops following a 2019 security agreement.
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