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Mohammed al-Haddad

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This article is about a Libyan lieutenant general. For other people with similar names, see Mohamed Haddad.
Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad
Haddad in 2024
Native name
محمد علي أحمد الحداد
Birth nameMohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad
Born1967
Misrata, Libya
Died23 December 2025(2025-12-23) (aged 57–58)
Near Kesikkavak, Haymana, Turkey
Allegiance Libya
BranchLibyan Army
Rank Lieutenant General
CommandsChief of the General Staff

Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad (Arabic: محمد علي أحمد الحداد;‎ 1967 – 23 December 2025) was a Libyan lieutenant general who served as the Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan Army from 2020 until his death in a plane crash in 2025. The highest-ranking Libyan officer in the Government of National Unity (GNU), al-Haddad played a key role in efforts to reunify Libya's military. He also expanded military relations with other countries, both regionally and internationally.

Early life and education

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Al-Haddad was born in Misrata in 1967. He graduated from a military college in Tripoli in 1987.[1][2]

Military career

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Al-Haddad held many positions in the Libyan Army before the first Libyan civil war broke out in 2011. In February 2011, al-Haddad defected from Muammar Gaddafi's regime and joined the rebel forces after the civil war began, fighting against Gaddafi's forces in the battle of Misrata.[3] In 2015, he was given a senior role in the Tripoli military region.[2] He was also a senior officer of the Halbous Brigade. Al-Haddad was appointed commander of the Central Military Region by the Libyan Presidential Council on 4 June 2017, while he held the rank of Lieutenant colonel. In September, he was ordered to secure Tawergha and facilitate the return of displaced residents.[4]

In August 2018, he was appointed to oversee ceasefire talks in Tripoli regarding the second Libyan civil war, after clashes broke out in the city's south. He oversaw the army's withdrawal from areas affected by the clashes, and returned captured military bases to the forces who occupied them before fighting broke out. On 1 September, he was abducted after a military gathering, but was recovered alive in Karzaz after negotiations.[1][4] In 2019, he played a role in confronting Libyan National Army forces in Tripoli during the Western Libya campaign.[3]

Chief of the General Staff (2020–2025)

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Following his promotion to lieutenant general, al-Haddad was appointed chief of staff of the Libyan Army by prime minister Fayez al-Sarraj in August 2020, officially taking office on 17 September.[5][6][7] He became the highest-ranked officer of the internationally recognized Government of National Unity military.[8]

From the time of his inauguration on, he vowed to end division in the military and build an army that could defend the nation's sovereignty.[9] He led United Nations-backed talks to unify the army under the "5+5 Joint Military Committee". The military is divided under the larger context of the Libyan crisis, with a Tobruk-based rival government led by Khalifa Haftar controlling the military in eastern Libya.[10][11][5] As part of these efforts, he met with his eastern counterpart, Abdulrazek al-Nadoori, several times in Tripoli, Cairo, and Tunisia in 2022 to discuss unification.[12] These talks continued in 2023, with meetings between the two being held in Paris.[13] He also helped rebuild forces in western Libya and integrated local militias into the military.[14]

During his tenure, al-Haddad aimed to expand Libya's international military relations, especially Turkey, making visits to Ankara in 2020, 2024, and 2025.[2] He visited a Turkish frigate stationed off Libya in August 2021, and later met with Turkish defense minister Hulusi Akar in Tripoli to widen cooperation between the two states.[9] He traveled to Moscow that same year.[13] In March 2023, he authorized a military pact with Italy on training Libyan special troops. He met with United States Africa Command commanders in July 2024 to discuss bolstering border security and unifying the Libyan military. He participated in talks with foreign leaders, including in Cairo and Rome, to gather support for Libya's unification and the creation of a combined European and American force to defend the country's borders.[5]

Death

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Main article: Harmony Jets Flight 185

On 23 December 2025, al-Haddad traveled to Ankara, where he was given a formal military ceremony upon arrival. He then held talks with Turkish chief of staff Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu.[15]

Later that day, a Dassault Falcon 50 jet carrying al-Haddad and seven others crashed near Kesikkavak, Turkey, shortly after taking off from Ankara, killing all occupants.[11][16] Libyan prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh confirmed al-Haddad's death, saying "This grave loss is a great loss for ​the nation, for the military institution, and for all the people."[17] Three days of national mourning were declared by the Government of National Unity.[10] Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar also expressed condolences over his death.[18] Al-Haddad's deputy, Salaheddine al-Namroush, was temporarily appointed to take his role.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b Cristiani, Dario (6 August 2020). "Who's Who in the GNA Military Leadership in Libya". The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "محمد علي الحداد: ماذا نعرف عن المسؤول العسكري الليبي الكبير الذي لقي مصرعه بتحطم طائرته في تركيا؟". BBC News عربي (in Arabic). 25 December 2025. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
  3. ^ a b مهذب, إيمان. "محمد علي الحداد.. مسيرة قائد عسكري سعى لتوحيد الجيش الليبي". Al Jazeera Arabic (in Arabic). Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  4. ^ a b "وزير الدفاع يستقبل قائد أركان الجيش التابع لحكومة الوفاق بليبيا". royapost.net (in Arabic). 30 October 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "The Chief of General Staff of Libya, Al-Haddad, who was on the crashed plane, had been in office for 5 years". Haberler.com. 23 December 2025. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  6. ^ "Libya PM Says Army Chief Of Staff Killed In Airplane Accident In Turkey". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  7. ^ "Mohamed Al-Haddad takes over duties as Chief of Staff for GNA forces". Alwasat News. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Jet carrying Libyan army chief crashes after departing Ankara". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  9. ^ a b "من هو رئيس الأركان الليبي ومن كان برفقته في الطائرة المنكوبة؟". Al Jazeera Arabic (in Arabic). Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Libyan Military Leaders Are Killed in Plane Crash in Turkey". The New York Times. 23 December 2025. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Libya's military chief and 7 others are killed in a plane crash after takeoff from Turkey". AP News. 23 December 2025. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  12. ^ "من هو رئيس أركان الدبيبة الذي سقطت طائرته في أنقرة؟". Independent Arabia (in Arabic). 24 December 2025. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Libya's Army Chief Lt. Gen. Al-Haddad dies in Turkey crash". The Jerusalem Post. 24 December 2025. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  14. ^ الشرق (23 December 2025). "بعد سقوط طائرته في تركيا ماذا نعرف عن رئيس أركان حكومة الوحدة الليبية؟". Asharq News (in Arabic). Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  15. ^ Tuysuz, Gul; Tawfeeq, Mohammed (23 December 2025). "Libya's army chief killed in plane crash in Turkey". CNN. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  16. ^ Fraser, Suzan; Abuelgasim, Fay (24 December 2025). "Search teams probe wreckage after Libyan army chief and 7 others are killed in Turkey plane crash". AP News. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  17. ^ "Libyan army chief of staff found dead in plane wreckage, PM says". France 24. 23 December 2025. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  18. ^ "Libyan army chief killed in plane crash: What next?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  19. ^ "Libyans United In Grief For Army Chief Killed In Plane Crash". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
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