Libya mourns military chief killed in Turkiye plane crash

Published on: Dec 28, 2025 09:21 pm IST

Ceremonies were also held in Ankara and Tripoli on Saturday.

Hundreds of people on Sunday mourned western Libya’s military chief and four others who were killed in a plane crash in Turkiye.

Libyan officials and military personnel receive the coffins of the Libyan chief of staff and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Turkey, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in the Libyan capital Tripoli, on December 27, 2025.(AFP)

The coffins of Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad and two others were brought into a stadium in the coastal city of Misrata, their hometown, for a funeral ceremony that included Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah and other military and political leaders. The bodies will be taken by their families for a private burial elsewhere.

Ceremonies were also held in Ankara and Tripoli on Saturday.

A private jet with al-Haddad and four other military officers and three crew members crashed on Tuesday after taking off from Ankara, Turkiye’s capital. Libyan officials said the cause was a technical malfunction on the plane, but the investigation is still ongoing in coordination with Turkiye.

Libya plunged into chaos after the country’s 2011 uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

The country split, with rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. The country is governed by Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah’s government in Tripoli and the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad in the east.

Turkiye has been the main backer of Libya’s government in the west, but has recently taken steps to improve ties with the eastern-based government.

Get the latest headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, Nepal, UK, Bangladesh, and Russia get all the latest headlines in one place with including Bangladesh Unrest LIVEon Hindustan Times.

Get the latest headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, Nepal, UK, Bangladesh, and Russia get all the latest headlines in one place with including Bangladesh Unrest LIVEon Hindustan Times.

Leave a Comment