Libyan Army Chief, 4 Others Killed In Plane Crash In Turkey, Probe Underway

The army chief of staff of Libya, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, was killed on Tuesday when the private jet he was travelling in crashed shortly after take-off near Ankara, Turkish authorities said.

The crash claimed the lives of all those on board, including four senior Libyan military officers and three crew members. Turkish officials told Al Jazeera that preliminary findings ruled out sabotage and suggested a technical malfunction caused the accident.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah confirmed al-Haddad’s death, describing the incident as a “tragic accident” that occurred as the delegation was returning to Libya. In a statement, he said the country had lost officers who served with “sincerity, discipline and national commitment,” calling it a major blow to the nation and its military institutions.