Turkish authorities announced in a breaking news report Tuesday evening that contact had been lost with a private plane carrying a high-level Libyan delegation headed by Lieutenant General Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, Chief of Staff of the Libyan National Army affiliated with the Government of National Accord led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. The announcement, made by Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, sparked anticipation and concern in political and military circles in both Tripoli and Ankara.
Details of the incident and loss of signal
In detailing the incident, the Turkish minister explained via his official account on the "X" platform that the Falcon 50 aircraft, registration number 9H-DFJ, took off from Esenboğa Airport in Ankara at 8:10 PM local time, heading towards the Libyan capital, Tripoli. He indicated that contact with the aircraft was completely lost at 8:52 PM (5:52 PM GMT), approximately 40 minutes after takeoff.
The minister added that the control tower received a request from the pilot for an emergency landing in the vicinity of the Haymana district of Ankara province, but it was not possible to re-establish contact with the crew after that call, which prompted the mobilization of search and rescue teams in the aforementioned area to determine the fate of the plane and its five passengers, including General Haddad.
Turkish-Libyan military relations: the context of the visit
The Libyan Chief of Staff's visit to Turkey comes within the framework of close and strategic military cooperation between the Government of National Accord in Tripoli and the Republic of Turkey. The two countries are bound by security and military agreements, the most prominent of which was signed in late 2019, under which Ankara provides training and logistical support to military forces in western Libya. Reciprocal visits between military leaders from both sides are routine for monitoring training programs and coordinating joint security positions, particularly in light of the security challenges facing the region.
The importance of General Mohamed Al-Haddad in the Libyan scene
Lieutenant General Mohammed al-Haddad is a pivotal figure in the Libyan military establishment in the western region. He has played a prominent role in recent years, not only as a military commander but also as a key player in negotiations to unify the Libyan military. Al-Haddad participated in several meetings with his counterpart in the eastern region, Lieutenant General Abdul Razzaq al-Nadhuri, in efforts to bridge the divide between east and west and form a unified military force under the auspices of the "5+5" Joint Military Commission.
Potential repercussions of the incident
This incident carries sensitive implications given General Haddad's position and the timing of the event. The stability of the military establishment is a cornerstone for maintaining the fragile ceasefire agreement in Libya. The international and regional community, including the United Nations and key players in the Libyan conflict, is expected to closely monitor the search operations, as any leadership vacuum or incident of this nature could further destabilize the already complex political and security landscape in Libya.
