Iran condoles with Libya over death of army chief in plane crash

Iran has offered condolences to Libya over the death of the country’s army chief following a plane crash.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the crash of the plane carrying Field Marshal Mohammed al-Haddad, chief of staff of Libya’s Government of National Unity forces, was a tragic incident, and conveyed condolences to the Libyan government and people, as well as sympathy to the victims’ families.

The aircraft crashed early on Tuesday while returning from Ankara to Tripoli, killing all those on board.

Libya’s Government of National Unity said in an official statement that al-Haddad and four members of his entourage were killed when a private aircraft crashed near Ankara.

According to Turkish officials,  the Falcon 50 aircraft requested an emergency landing because of electrical failure minutes after it took off from Ankara, but contact was lost.

The tragedy coincides with Libya’s planned Independence Day celebrations on Dec. 24-25, marking 74 years since the country’s liberation from Italian occupation, which will now be observed under three days of national mourning.

Turkish authorities said Wednesday they had found the cockpit voice recorder and black box from the crash site in the Haymana district near Ankara.

Libya is split between a UN-recognized government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and commander Khalifa Haftar's administration in the east.

The North African country has been divided since a NATO-backed revolt toppled and killed longtime leader Muammar Kaddafi in 2011.

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