A private jet carrying Libya’s top military commander, four senior officers and three crew members crashed shortly after takeoff from Ankara’s Esenboga airport on Tuesday, killing everyone on board.
Libyan officials said the fatal accident was triggered by a technical malfunction on the aircraft, a Falcon 50‑type business jet. The flight was bound for Libya, returning from high‑level defense talks with Turkish officials, who said the delegation had been there to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries.
Prime Minister Abdul‑Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the death of General Muhammad Ali Ahmad al‑Haddad and the four other officers. In a Facebook statement he called the “tragic accident” a “great loss” for Libya and said the aircraft was returning home when the tragedy occurred.
Turkish air‑traffic control reported that the jet left the airport at 8:30 p.m. and lost contact 40 minutes later. The aircraft sent an emergency‑landing signal over the village of Kesikkavak in Haymana, about 70 km (43.5 mi) south of Ankara.
The plane was redirected back to Esenboga, but disappeared from radar while descending for the emergency landing. Security‑camera footage later showed a sudden flash of light in the night sky over Haymana, appearing to be an explosion.
The wreckage was recovered near Kesikkavak. Rescue teams, wearing orange suits and hard hats, combed the area after the airport was temporarily closed and flights were diverted. Turkey’s Justice Ministry has assigned four prosecutors to investigate the incident, following standard procedure for aviation accidents.
The four officers aboard were: General Al‑Fitouri Ghraibil, head of Libya’s ground forces; Brigadier General Mahmoud Al‑Qatawi, commander of the military manufacturing authority; Mohammed Al‑Asawi Diab, advisor to the chief of staff; and Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a military photographer in the chief of staff’s office. The identities of the three crew members have not yet been released.
Libya has agreed to send a team to Ankara to work with Turkish authorities on the investigation. The country’s military chief had met with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Gül and other officials while in Ankara.
The crash follows Turkey’s recent decision to extend the mandate of its troops in Libya for two more years, a move approved by the Turkish parliament. Turkey has historically supported the western Libyan government but is now also working to improve ties with the eastern regime, reflecting the complex political divisions that have plagued Libya since the 2011 uprising and the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
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