Libya mourns military chief killed in Turkey plane crash

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MISRATA, Libya (AP) — Hundreds of people on Sunday mourned western Libya’s military chief and four others who were killed in a plane crash in Turkey.

The coffins of Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad and two others were brought into a stadium in the coastal city of Misrata, their hometown, for a funeral ceremony that included Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah and other military and political leaders. The bodies will be taken by their families for a private burial elsewhere.

Ceremonies were also held in Ankara and Tripoli on Saturday.

A private jet with al-Haddad and four other military officers and three crew members crashed on Tuesday after taking off from Ankara, Turkey’s capital. Libyan officials said the cause was a technical malfunction on the plane but the investigation is still ongoing in coordination with Turkey.

Libya plunged into chaos after the country’s 2011 uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country split, with rival administrations in the east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. The country is governed by Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah’s government in Tripoli and the administration of Prime Minister Ossama Hammad in the east.

Turkey has been the main backer of Libya’s government in the west, but has recently taken steps to improve ties with the eastern-based government.