Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, Libya’s chief of staff, was among eight people killed when a private Falcon 50 jet crashed after departing Ankara on Dec. 23. The crew reported an electrical failure and requested an emergency return; contact was lost during descent. Wreckage spread across roughly 3 square kilometers, and investigators have recovered the flight data and cockpit voice recorders. Turkey and Libya are cooperating on an ongoing investigation, and Libya declared three days of national mourning.
Libya’s Top Military Officer Killed as Falcon 50 Crashes Near Ankara; Eight Dead
Yavuz Ozden/ dia images via GettyFirst responders at the scene of the plane crash in Ankara
Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, the chief of staff of Libya’s Government of National Unity, was among eight people killed when a private Falcon 50 jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Ankara, Turkey, on Dec. 23.
Fatih Kurt/Anadolu via GettyLibyan Chief of Staff General Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad
The Libyan delegation had spent the day meeting with Turkish military counterparts. Turkish authorities said the aircraft lost radio contact soon after departure. Officials reported the crew declared an emergency — citing an electrical failure — and requested to return to the airport, but contact was lost as the plane descended for an emergency approach.
AA/Anadolu via GettyA capture from security camera footage shows the moment of the crash
Casualties and identification
Turkish and Libyan officials confirmed eight fatalities: Gen. al-Haddad, four other Libyan military officers — Gen. Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab and Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub — and three crew members whose identities have not been released.
Ercin Erturk/Anadolu via GettyAn aerial view of firefighter teams, healthcare professionals, gendarmerie and search and rescue teams near the crash site
Crash Site and Investigation
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the wreckage was scattered across roughly 3 square kilometers (about 1.2 square miles). Search teams recovered the aircraft’s flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR). Turkish and Libyan authorities are cooperating on an ongoing investigation to determine the precise cause and timeline of the accident.
Osmancan Gurdogan/Anadolu via GettySearch and rescue operations after the crash
Burhanettin Duran, the Turkish government’s chief spokesman, said the crew first reported an emergency "due to an electric failure" and requested an emergency landing. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said an investigation has been launched and that relevant ministries will provide updates. Erdogan also spoke by phone with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah.
Prime Minister Dbeibah described the deaths as a “great loss” to Libya, praising the officers for their dedication and service.
Context
Gen. al-Haddad was appointed chief of staff in 2020 with a mandate to unite Libya’s armed forces, a task complicated by rival governments and militia influence — including competing power centers based in Tobruk. In Tripoli, the Libyan government declared three days of national mourning and ordered flags flown at half-staff.
The investigation continues; authorities are analyzing the recovered recorders and working to identify remains. No timeline has been announced for the completion of the probe or for releasing the crew members’ identities.
