Image: from The Resonance X@Partisan_12
ANKARA, Turkey — A catastrophic aviation accident has claimed the life of Libya’s top military commander and seven others after their private jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport on Tuesday night. The death of General Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, a pivotal figure in the UN-led efforts to unify Libya’s fractured armed forces, is being hailed as a “great loss” by the Tripoli-based government.
The Incident: Electrical Failure and Explosion
The flight, carrying five high-ranking Libyan officials and three crew members, was bound for Tripoli following high-level defense talks in the Turkish capital.
-
Timeline of the Crash: The Falcon 50 business jet took off at 8:30 PM. Roughly 40 minutes into the flight, the crew reported a severe electrical fault and requested an emergency landing.
-
The Final Moments: As the aircraft was being redirected back to Esenboga, it issued an emergency signal near Haymana, approximately 70 kilometers south of Ankara. Communication was abruptly lost, and security camera footage from the area showed the night sky suddenly illuminated by a massive explosion.
-
Wreckage Found: Turkish search and rescue teams located the debris near the village of Kesikkavak. There were no survivors.
The Fallen Delegation
The crash wiped out a significant portion of the military leadership of western Libya. In addition to Gen. al-Haddad, the identified victims include:
| Name | Position |
| Gen. Al-Fitouri Ghraibil | Head of Libya’s Ground Forces |
| Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Qatawi | Lead, Military Manufacturing Authority |
| Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab | Advisor to the Chief of Staff |
| Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub | Military Photographer |
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the deaths in a somber Facebook statement, declaring the incident a “tragic accident” that strikes at the heart of the nation’s security apparatus.
Geopolitical Context: A Crucial Partnership
The Libyan delegation had been in Ankara to finalize military cooperation agreements. The timing of the crash is particularly significant:
-
Troop Mandate Extension: Just 24 hours before the crash, the Turkish Parliament approved a two-year extension for Turkish troops serving in Libya.
-
Unification Efforts: Gen. al-Haddad was the primary architect of the UN-brokered plan to merge the rival military factions from the east and west of Libya. His death leaves a power vacuum in the ongoing peace process.
-
Ankara-Tripoli Ties: Turkey remains the primary security guarantor for the Tripoli-based government, a relationship cemented by the 2019 security and maritime pact.
The Investigation
While initial reports from Libyan officials point toward a technical malfunction, Turkish authorities have assigned four prosecutors to lead a formal investigation. A Libyan technical team is expected to arrive in Ankara today to participate in the forensic analysis of the wreckage.
The airport in Ankara was temporarily closed following the incident, with several international flights diverted as emergency crews secured the crash site.