Libya’s army chief Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad and seven others died when a private Dassault Falcon 50 crashed near Ankara after reporting an electrical fault and requesting an emergency landing. Wreckage was found near Kesikkavak in Haymana district; three of the dead were crew. Turkish and Libyan investigators are coordinating a joint probe while forensic teams conduct DNA tests, delaying repatriation and funeral plans.
Libyan Army Chief Killed in Plane Crash Near Ankara — Turkish-Libyan Probe Intensifies
Members of a Libyan military delegation arrive outside Ankara at the crash site of a Libya-bound business jet carrying Libyan Chief of Staff Muhammad Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad on December 24, 2025 [Adem Altan/AFP]
Libyan army chief of staff Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad and seven others were killed when a private Dassault Falcon 50 crashed near Ankara after reporting an in-flight electrical malfunction, officials said. Turkish and Libyan authorities have stepped up cooperation as forensic teams work at the scene and preparations proceed to repatriate the victims' remains.
Timeline and Crash Details
The private jet departed Ankara Esenboğa Airport bound for Tripoli. According to Turkish officials, the aircraft reported an electrical fault and requested an emergency landing 16 minutes after takeoff. Air traffic controllers directed the Falcon 50 back toward Ankara, but radar contact was lost three minutes later as the jet descended.
Rescue teams later located the wreckage near the village of Kesikkavak in Ankara’s Haymana district. Eight people died in the crash, including three crew members.
Investigation and International Coordination
Libya’s Criminal Investigation Department chief, Major General Mahmoud Ashour, led a Libyan delegation to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office as part of a joint inquiry with Turkish prosecutors. Turkey’s Ministry of Interior launched emergency operations and multiple agencies are participating in the investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
Recovery, Forensics and Repatriation
Forensic teams at the scene said the severity of the crash scattered remains across a wide area, necessitating DNA testing before bodies can be formally identified and returned to Libya. Reporting from Misrata, Al Jazeera’s Malik Traina said preparations were under way to return Al-Haddad’s body but the timeline remained uncertain and funeral arrangements might be postponed pending identification results.
“There’s a lot of pressure for that process to finish as soon as possible. Whether or not that’ll happen, we’re going to have to wait and see,” Traina said, noting Al-Haddad’s role in trying to strengthen military institutions in western Libya.
What Comes Next
Investigators from both countries will analyze flight data, maintenance records and witness accounts while forensic teams complete DNA identification. Officials have not yet announced a definitive cause of the crash and cautioned that the inquiry may take time.
