Panauti turns out to be Asim Munir! Libyan Army Chief dies in plane crash, defense deal was signed with Pakistan

The mysterious plane crash of the Libyan army chief is no longer just a technical accident, but has been linked to recent geopolitical developments, especially Pakistan It is being linked to Army Chief Asim Munir’s visit to Libya. It is being told that Pakistan became a proxy for Libya. At a time when Libya was busy giving a new direction to military cooperation with countries like Turkey and Pakistan, the sudden demise of its top military command is raising many questions.

Asim Munir’s visit to Libya, the possible defense deal, and this horrific accident that happened soon after, have intensified discussions from social media to strategic circles. Officially it is being described as a technical fault, but time, coincidence and context together seem to take this incident far beyond the ordinary.

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Return from Türkiye and journey to death

Libyan Army Chief Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad was returning from Türkiye’s capital Ankara in a private jet. He was accompanied by four senior military officers and three crew members. About 40 minutes after takeoff, the plane crashed and all eight people on board died.

PM’s confirmation and national loss

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the accident and said it was an “irreparable loss” for the country. Al-Haddad was the most powerful military commander in western Libya and a key figure in international efforts to unify the army.

Which officers were killed?

The senior officers who died in the accident included

• General al-Fittouri Ghrabil (Ground Forces chief)
• Brigadier General Mahmoud al-Katawi (Military Construction Authority chief)
• Mohammed al-Asawi Diab (Adviser to the Chief of Staff)
• Mohammad Omar Ahmed Mahjoob (Military Photographer of the Office of the Chief of Staff)

The identities of the three crew members were not made public at the initial stage.

Technical glitch or something?

Turkish officials said it was a Falcon-50 business jet that reported an electrical/technical fault during flight and requested an emergency landing. The plane was diverted back towards Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, but while landing it disappeared from radar.

A flash in the sky and a sound like an explosion

The footage shown on local TV channels showed a bright light and explosion-like flash in the night sky over Haymana district. After this, Ankara Airport had to be temporarily closed and many flights were diverted.

Asim Munir’s name is connected here

This accident happened at a time when Asim Munir had made an official visit to Libya just a few days ago. He met Khalifa Haftar and his deputy in Benghazi. During this visit, talks were held between Pakistan and Libya regarding defense cooperation and fighter jet supply.

Defense deal and sudden accident

According to sources, Pakistan had agreed to provide its fighter jets and military training support to Libya. In such a situation, the sudden demise of Libya’s top military command also raises questions on the timing of that defense deal.

Coincidence or strategic blow?

Although no official agency is directly linking this accident to Asim Munir’s visit, regional analysts believe that it may not be just a coincidence. Libya is already struggling with internal division, foreign interference and military instability.

Türkiye-Libya’s joint role in investigation

Türkiye’s Justice Ministry has appointed four prosecutors and Libya has also announced to send its investigation team to Ankara. Both countries will jointly examine flight data, debris and maintenance records.

Libyan military and regional balance

The death of the army chief has created a void in Libya’s military command. Besides, the new military equations emerging between Pakistan, Türkiye and Libya have also been temporarily shaken. Now only the results of the investigation will decide whether this accident was merely a technical failure or there is a deeper story hidden behind it.