Libyan officials said the cause of the crash was a technical malfunction on the plane. Al-Hadad was the top military commander in western Libya and played a crucial role in the ongoing, U.N.-brokered efforts to unify Libya’s military, which has split, much like Libya’s other institutions. The four other officers who died in the crash were Gen. Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, the head of Libya’s ground forces, Brig. Libya was also expected to send a team to Ankara to work with Turkish authorities investigating the crash. Turkey deployed troops following a 2019 security and military cooperation agreement that was reached between Ankara and the Tripoli-based government.

Source: ABC News December 24, 2025 17:00 UTC