Libya’s Presidency Council head Mohammad Menfi offered condolences for Army Chief of Staff Mohammed al-Haddad and four senior military officers who died in a plane crash near Türkiye’s capital Ankara.
In a statement, Menfi called the deaths "a grave loss for the Libyan military establishment and for the entire nation.”
"Libya has lost national military leaders who dedicated their lives to serving the country, who bore their responsibilities with utmost integrity in delicate circumstances, and who performed their duty with a high spirit of discipline, commitment and loyalty, placing the interest, security and stability of the nation above all considerations.”
He extended his deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and members of the armed forces.
"It is with deep sadness and great sorrow that we learnt of the death of the Libyan army's chief of general staff," Mohammed al-Haddad, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. He said other senior military officials and a photographer were also on board the plane.
Dbeibah described their deaths as a "tragic loss", adding: "We have lost men who served their country with loyalty and dedication and were examples of discipline, responsibility and national commitment."
According to Libyan media reports, in addition to Chief of Staff al-Haddad, his adviser and other high-ranking military officials were also on board.
Al-Haddad had met with Turkish officials in Türkiye. Ankara is considered the most important supporter of the government in Tripoli.
Libya was ravaged by civil war for many years after the fall of long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya earlier said that the wreckage of the Tripoli-bound Falcon 50 jet carrying Haddad was found south of Haymana near Ankara.
Al-Haddad had been the army's chief of general staff since August 2020 and was appointed by then-prime minister Fayez al-Sarraj.
