Libya extends condolences for death of Army Chief of Staff

(MENAFN) Libya has announced a three-day period of national mourning following the deaths of Army Chief of Staff Mohammed al-Haddad and four senior military officials in a plane crash near Ankara, Turkey.

In an official statement, Libya’s Government of National Unity extended condolences to the families of the victims and their colleagues in the armed forces. The statement noted that during the mourning period, all state institutions would fly flags at half-mast, and official events and celebrations would be suspended.

“The Government of National Unity extends its sincerest condolences and deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased and to their colleagues in the armed forces, praying that Almighty God bestows His vast mercy upon them, grants them eternal rest in His spacious gardens, and blesses their families and loved ones with patience and solace,” the statement said.

Libya’s Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, has directed the Defense Ministry to dispatch an official delegation to Ankara to coordinate with Turkish authorities and investigate the circumstances of the crash.

The tragedy coincides with the country’s planned Independence Day celebrations on December 24–25, commemorating 74 years since liberation from Italian rule, which will now be observed under the national mourning period.

The head of Libya’s Presidency Council, Mohamed Menfi, also expressed sorrow over the loss of Haddad and the four senior military officials. Turkish officials confirmed that the wreckage of the Falcon 50 jet bound for Tripoli was located south of Haymana, near Ankara.

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