Plane crashes, Army Chief killed

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh has confirmed that a tragic plane crash near the Turkish capital Ankara has claimed the lives of Libya’s Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Mohammed Ali Al-Haddad, along with several senior military officials.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X, the prime minister said he received the devastating news with deep sorrow and shock. He confirmed that the army chief and members of his accompanying delegation were killed in the incident.

According to him, those who lost their lives include the Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces, the head of the Military Manufacturing Authority, an adviser to the army chief, and the official photographer of the military media office. The crash occurred while the delegation was returning from an official visit to Turkey, though further details have not yet been disclosed.

Calling the incident a major loss for the country and its armed forces, Dbeibeh said Libya has lost loyal, disciplined officers who served the nation with dedication and patriotism. He expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased, their fellow soldiers, and the Libyan people.

Meanwhile, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that the private aircraft carrying the Libyan army chief crashed in the Haymana district of Ankara. He added that wreckage has been recovered from the crash site.

Pakistan, Libya Military Chiefs Meet to Strengthen Ties

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, COAS & CDF, who is on a official visit to Libya, called on Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar, Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces and Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces.On arrival, the Field Marshal was accorded a Guard of Honour by a smartly turned-out contingent of the Libyan Armed Forces.Matters of mutual interest, regional security dynamics, and avenues for enhancing bilateral defence and military-to-military cooperation were discussed during the meeting with Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Both sides underscored the importance of collaboration in training, capacity building, and counter-terrorism domains.Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening defence ties with Libya, based on shared interests.Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar appreciated the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and expressed his desire to further expand defence cooperation between the two countries.

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