Libya’s army chief Lt Gen Mohamed Al-Haddad died in a plane crash while returning from an official visit to Turkey, days after Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir held meetings with eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar. The aircraft lost contact shortly after take-off from Ankara, killing Al-Haddad and four others, Libyan and Turkish officials said.
Senior military officials among victims
Libya’s Army Chief’s seath comes amid sensitive regional military ties
Al-Haddad’s death comes at a sensitive time for Libya, days after Pakistan and Libya finalised a military equipment deal worth more than $4 billion, according to a Reuters report. The agreement followed a meeting between Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir and senior Libyan military leadership aligned with Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya.
During his interaction with Libyan commanders, Munir said removing fear allows a nation to achieve anything and claimed Pakistan relied on 90 per cent indigenous technology during its recent conflict with India. He also asserted that Pakistan’s air force shot down Indian Rafale jets, Mirage 2000, Su-30 and MiG-29 aircraft, and destroyed the S-400 air defence system. Pakistan’s claims of destroying Rafale and S-400 systems have been repeatedly rejected by India.
Munir also said he conveyed to Saddam Khalifa Haftar, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army, that Pakistan would share whatever technological equipment it possesses with Libya. He described Libya as a brotherly nation and said a strong armed force ensures the existence of the nation.
Pakistan-Libya deal signed despite UN embargo
According to four Pakistani officials quoted by Reuters, the defence deal was finalised after a meeting last week between Munir and Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar in Benghazi, eastern Libya. The agreement comes despite a United Nations arms embargo on Libya. The officials declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the deal.
Lt Gen Mohamed Al-Haddad and Khalifa Haftar: A political and military opponent
Lt Gen Mohamed Al-Haddad was the army chief under Libya’s UN-recognised government based in Tripoli (western Libya). He was considered rival of rebel eastern Libya commander Haftar as his forces opposed Haftar’s military campaigns, including Haftar’s earlier attempt to capture Tripoli. Haftar is considered a rebel or warlord, though he does not use that label himself.Khalifa Haftar is a field marshal leading the Libyan National Army (LNA), based in eastern Libya (Benghazi). His forces are not under the UN-recognised government, but he controls large parts of eastern and southern Libya through military power. The UN and many countries see him as a strongman who challenged Libya’s recognised government by force. However, his supporters see him as a stabilising leader, not a rebel with countries like Egypt, UAE, and Russia backing him at various times.
Libyan army chief killed in plane crash after Turkey visit
Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah confirmed on Tuesday that Al-Haddad died in what he described as a “tragic accident” during the flight back to Tripoli from Ankara. According to officials, the aircraft lost contact shortly after take-off from Turkey’s capital.
“With great sadness and sorrow, we have received the news of the death of Lt Gen Al-Haddad and his companions,” al-Dbeibah said in a statement. He offered condolences to the families of the victims and said the loss was a tragedy for Libya and its military institution, as reported by CNN.
Senior military officials among victims
The prime minister identified the other victims as Maj Gen Al-Fitouri Ghreibel, Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces; Brig Gen Mahmoud Al-Qatioui, Director of the Military Manufacturing Authority; Mohamed Al-Asawi Diab, adviser to the army chief; and media office photographer Mohamed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub.
Turkish authorities said they lost contact with the Falcon 50 business jet shortly after it departed Ankara Esenboga Airport at around 8.10 pm local time. Turkey’s interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said contact was lost at 8.52 pm after the aircraft sent an emergency landing notification near the Haymana district, about 50 miles southwest of Ankara.
Turkish broadcaster CNNTurk reported that the jet had declared an electrical emergency and requested to return to the airport before communication was lost. The aircraft reportedly had a crew of three, all French nationals.
Turkey’s justice minister Yilmaz Tunc said a full investigation has been launched and authorities will examine “all aspects of the incident with great care.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Turkey’s armed forces said Lt Gen Al-Haddad had been formally received in Ankara with a military ceremony and later held talks with Turkish Chief of the General Staff Gen Selcuk Bayraktaroglu.
(Inputs from agencies)