Libya's Army Chief Dies in Turkish Plane Crash Tragedy

In a devastating incident, Libya's army chief, General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, was killed in a plane crash in Turkey on Tuesday evening. The Libyan prime minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, confirmed the tragic news, stating that General al-Haddad and four others were on board a Falcon 50 aircraft that lost contact with air traffic control shortly after taking off from Ankara's airport.

According to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, the signal with the business jet was lost at 20:52 local time (17:52 GMT), about 42 minutes after it took off from Ankara's airport. The aircraft had issued an emergency landing request before contact was lost. The wreckage of the plane was later found south-west of Ankara, and an investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the crash.

General al-Haddad was accompanied by military officials on the plane, which was headed to Tripoli. The Libyan army chief had been in Turkey for talks aimed at strengthening military and security co-operation between the two countries. This tragic incident marks a significant loss for Libya, as General al-Haddad and his team had been working to improve the country's security situation.

The Libyan prime minister expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, stating that General al-Haddad's death was a great loss for the country. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of General al-Haddad and the other victims of this tragic incident," Prime Minister Dbeibeh said. "He was a dedicated and experienced military leader who had been working tirelessly to improve the security situation in Libya."

According to multiple sources, including the Turkish Interior Minister and the Libyan Prime Minister, General al-Haddad and four others were killed in the plane crash. The identities of the other victims have not been released yet.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of air travel in Turkey, particularly for high-ranking officials. The Turkish government has promised a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash, which is expected to take several weeks to complete.

As the investigation continues, the Libyan government has announced that it will hold a national day of mourning to honor the memory of General al-Haddad and the other victims of the plane crash. The incident serves as a reminder of the risks and challenges faced by military leaders and officials in conflict-torn countries like Libya.

In a statement, the Turkish government expressed its condolences to the Libyan people and the families of the victims. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of General al-Haddad and the other victims of this tragic incident," the statement read. "We will do everything in our power to support the Libyan government and the families of the victims during this difficult time."