Muhammad Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad was a general who served as Chief of the General Staff of Libya from 2020 to 2025. He was appointed to this position in 2020 by the Libyan Government of National Accord and continued in office during the subsequent Government of National Unity. In the post-2011 period, he played a key role in military structures based in Tripoli and in organizing forces loyal to the Government of National Accord. He lost his life in an aircraft crash on his return from an official visit to Türkiye in December 2025.

Early Life and the Beginning of His Military Career

Muhammad Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad was born in Misrata, a city in western Libya. Following the uprising that began in Libya in 2011, he emerged as a prominent figure on the ground. He commanded the Halbus Brigade, one of the largest armed groups based in Misrata, which played a significant role in the conflicts across western Libya. In June 2017, he was appointed commander of the Central Military Region, a strategically important area encompassing a vast territory.

Appointment as Chief of the General Staff

Muhammad Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad was appointed Chief of the General Staff of Libya on 29 August 2020 by Fayez al-Sarraj, President of the Government of National Accord. Simultaneously, his rank was elevated to general. The appointment occurred during a period of intense conflict between Tripoli-based forces and armed structures in eastern Libya.

Al-Haddad assumed this role under the Government of National Accord and continued serving as Chief of the General Staff during the subsequent Government of National Unity. Throughout his tenure, he operated as the highest-ranking military official of the Tripoli-based military structure.

Military and Diplomatic Activities

During his term as Chief of the General Staff, Muhammad Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad undertook efforts to unify Libya’s fragmented military structures between the east and the west. He held meetings with General Abdulrazek al-Nazuri, Chief of the General Staff of the eastern Libyan armed forces aligned with Khalifa Haftar, in Sirte and Tripoli.

He participated in negotiations under the United Nations-supported 5+5 Joint Military Committee, engaging in talks on the withdrawal of foreign fighters from Libya, the unification of military structures, and the creation of a unified national armed force.

During his tenure, he engaged in diplomatic contacts at regional and international levels on issues including border security, counterterrorism, and military modernization. In this context, he made official visits to Tunisia and Algeria. In 2023, he signed a technical cooperation agreement in Rome, Italy’s capital, to support the training of Libyan special forces.

Relations and Visits with Türkiye

Muhammad Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad played a key role in sustaining military relations between Libya and Türkiye. Türkiye had signed the Agreement on the Delimitation of Maritime Jurisdiction Areas in the Mediterranean with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord in 2019, and during this period Al-Haddad was among the senior figures supporting military cooperation.

During his term, he visited Türkiye on multiple occasions in 2020, 2024, and 2025 for various purposes, engaging in discussions to enhance cooperation in military education, advisory services, and institutional support.

Visit to Ankara and the Air Crash

On 23 December 2025, Libyan Chief of the General Staff General Muhammad Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad undertook an official visit to Ankara at the invitation of Turkish Chief of the General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu. During the visit, he held meetings with Turkish Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler and Commander of the Turkish Land Forces General Metin Tokel.

Following the visit, he departed from Ankara Esenboğa Airport aboard a Dassault Falcon 50-type private jet bound for Tripoli, Libya’s capital. The aircraft took off at 20:10 and lost contact at 20:52. The aircraft was determined to have crashed into a mountainous area near Kesikkavak village, which is located in the Haymana district of Ankara.

Death and Aftermath

Muhammad Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad died on 23 December 2025 in an aircraft crash near the village of Kesikkavak in the Haymana district of Ankara, while returning to Libya after his official engagements. Alongside Al-Haddad, the crash claimed the lives of Libyan Land Forces Commander Fethi al-Gribil, Commander of the Military Industries Authority Brigadier General Mahmoud al-Katavi, Chief of Staff Advisor Muhammad Asavi Diyab, and Press Office Photographer Muhammad Mahcub.

Following the crash, Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh issued a statement of condolences for the deceased. Dbeibeh stated that the incident constituted a major loss for the country, its military institutions, and all Libyans.^【1】 The Libyan government declared three days of national mourning.