Breaking: Western Libya’s Top General Killed in Mysterious Ankara Plane Crash

A major diplomatic and military tragedy has struck the Western Libyan government following the confirmed death of its Chief of Staff, General Mohammed al-Haddad. The high ranking military leader was killed on Tuesday evening when his private Falcon 50 jet crashed shortly after taking off from Esenboga International Airport in Ankara, Turkey. The incident has sent shockwaves through the region, as al-Haddad was a central figure in the ongoing war between the Tripoli based government and the rival forces in Eastern Libya.

General al-Haddad had been in Ankara for an official visit, where he met with senior Turkish military officials, including General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, to discuss continued security cooperation. According to reports from the Turkish Interior Ministry, the aircraft’s crew transmitted a distress call almost immediately after takeoff, citing a severe electronic malfunction. The pilots began preparations for an emergency landing in the Ankara province, which involved attempts to drain the fuel tanks to reduce the risk of fire. However, witnesses on the ground reported seeing a bright flash of light in the sky, suggesting an explosion occurred before the plane could reach the runway.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh addressed the nation on Tuesday night, stating that he is mourning the death of al-Haddad and the other senior officials on board. The crash also claimed the lives of the Chief of Staff’s advisor, Mohammed al-Assawi, the head of the land forces, the head of the military production department, and General Mohammed Jumaa. Turkish search and rescue teams discovered the wreckage in an open field after flight tracking data showed the airspace over the capital had been temporarily closed during the search operation.

The loss of General al-Haddad is a significant blow to Turkey’s strategic interests in North Africa. He was considered a key architect of the maritime agreements between Tripoli and Ankara, which allowed Turkey to claim sovereignty over gas exploration areas in the Mediterranean. As Western Libya faces a persistent threat from the Eastern Libyan government supported by General Khalifa Haftar, the sudden elimination of its top military leadership creates a dangerous power vacuum. Authorities are currently investigating whether the reported fuel leak and electronic failure were purely technical or if other factors contributed to the explosion that brought down the delegation.