ISTANBUL

The head of Libya’s Presidency Council, Mohamed Menfi, mourned on Tuesday evening Army Chief of Staff Mohammed al-Haddad and four senior military officials, who were killed in a plane crash near the Turkish capital Ankara.

In a statement posted on the US social media company X's platform, 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.

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.