Libya Mourns Military Chief Killed in Turkiye Plane Crash: Tributes Pour in Across the Country

The people of western Libya came together on Sunday to pay their respects to General Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, the country's military chief, and four others who tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in Turkiye. The funeral ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah and other senior officials, took place in the coastal city of Misrata, al-Haddad's hometown. The bodies of the deceased will be laid to rest privately in a separate ceremony. The plane, carrying al-Haddad and four other military officers, as well as three crew members, crashed on Tuesday after taking off from Ankara, Turkiye's capital. While Libyan officials have cited a technical malfunction as the cause, an ongoing investigation in cooperation with Turkiye is still underway to determine the exact circumstances of the accident. Libya has been grappling with instability since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi, resulting in a divided country with rival administrations in the east and west. Turkiye has been a key supporter of the western-based government, but has recently made efforts to improve ties with the eastern-based administration. Tributes to al-Haddad were also held in Ankara and Tripoli, highlighting the significant impact of his loss on the Libyan people and the international community. As the country continues to navigate its challenging political landscape, the memory of General al-Haddad and the others who lost their lives in the tragic plane crash will be remembered and honored.