Libyan Chief of Staff’s Jet Crashes in Ankara — All Passengers Feared Dead

A Falcon 50 jet carrying General Mohamed Ali Al-Haddad, Chief of the Libyan General Staff, and four senior military officials crashed on the evening of December 23, 2025, in the mountainous Kesikkavak village near Ankara. The aircraft had taken off from Esenboğa Airport at 8:10 PM local time en route to Tripoli but reported an electrical failure 22 minutes later, requesting an emergency landing before losing contact with air traffic control.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that search teams located the wreckage approximately 2 km south of Kesikkavak following a challenging overnight operation hampered by heavy rain, mud, and fog. All eight onboard — including three crew members — are believed to have died in the crash.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that an official investigation led by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has been launched, with four prosecutors assigned to determine the cause of the accident. Rescue efforts, supported by gendarmerie, AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority), and medical teams, remain underway under difficult terrain conditions.

In response, the Libyan Government of National Unity declared three days of national mourning. Flags will fly at half-mast, and all official ceremonies have been suspended. Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh extended his condolences, praising General Al-Haddad and the delegation as “national symbols of dedication.”

Prominent Libyan figures — including eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar and Presidential Council Head Mohamed Al-Menfi — also issued statements of grief and solidarity.

Authorities have urged the public to rely solely on official information amid concerns over misinformation.