As per reports, a military aircraft carrying the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Armed Forces, Muhammad Ali Ahmed Al Haddad, crashed in central Turkey shortly after departing Ankara Esenboga Airport for Tripoli on Tuesday (23 December).

• The aircraft disappeared from radar and radio contact after requesting an emergency landing while flying over the Haymana district, approximately 50 kilometers southeast of Ankara.
• According to Turkish authorities, the aircraft took off at 2010 hours local time (1710 hours UTC) from Ankara Esenboga Airport and radio contact was lost at 2052 hours local time (1752 hours UTC) while the aircraft was over the Haymana district.
• Turkish gendarmerie units later located the wreckage approximately two kilometers south of the village of Kesikkavak in Haymana district. Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah subsequently confirmed the death of the Chief of Staff.
• The Turkish Interior Minister stated that four additional individuals were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash. Prior to departure, the Libyan military chief had held meetings in Ankara with senior Turkish defence officials, including the Turkish Minister of Defence and other military commanders, as part of ongoing bilateral defence engagements.