The necessary investigation has been launched into the tragic incident involving an aircraft carrying a Libyan military delegation, “which deeply saddened us,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Justice and Development (AK) Party’s extended provincial heads meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan extended condolences to the “brotherly Libyan people,” armed forces, and the government on behalf of Türkiye and the nation after the death of Libyan army chief Gen. Mohamed Ali Al-Haddad, along with four members of his delegation and three crew members in Tuesday’s plane crash.
The relevant ministries will provide information regarding the course of events, he added.
The Falcon 50-type business jet crashed after taking off from Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport en route to Tripoli, the Libyan capital.
The plane was found about 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) south of Kesikkavak village in the Turkish capital Ankara’s Haymana district.
Search operations continued through the night despite heavy rain and fog, and officials are monitoring efforts from a mobile coordination center set up by Türkiye’s disaster management agency AFAD.
ERDOĞAN ACCUSES ISRAEL OF BLOCKING GAZA AID WITH ‘FABRICATED EXCUSES’
“Israel is not keeping its word and is constantly creating difficulties and obstacles to the entry of humanitarian aid with fabricated excuses,” the Turkish president stated during his speech.
Erdoğan said: “Even though a ceasefire has been established in Gaza since Oct. 11, hardships continue in residential areas that Israel has turned into rubble.”
He said Türkiye would increase its support for Palestinians in the coming period.
“During the blessed three months, we will increase our aid to Palestine. As Türkiye, we will not back down, we will not remain silent, we will not forget, and we will never leave Gaza alone,” Erdoğan said.
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS WORSENS AS WINTER SETS IN
Erdoğan said the suffering of Gaza’s population has deepened further with colder weather and the onset of rainfall.
He said images of tents submerged by heavy rain and babies and children suffering from hypothermia due to extreme cold were being watched with heartbreak across Türkiye.
“According to the agreement, 600 aid trucks were supposed to enter Gaza daily. However, Israel does not keep its word even on such a humanitarian issue,” Erdoğan said.
Despite these obstacles, he added: “We are nevertheless trying to stand by our oppressed brothers and sisters in Gaza.”
Erdoğan said the 19th Turkish aid ship, carrying 1,300 tons of humanitarian supplies, reached Egypt’s El-Arish Port last week, noting that the total amount of aid Türkiye has sent to Gaza over the past two years has approached 105,000 tons.
Highlighting urgent needs in Gaza, Erdoğan said residents require medicine, food, clothing, and fuel for heating. “Above all, Gaza needs hope, solidarity, and moral support. That is why we will pray a great deal,” he said.
TÜRKİYE’S BROADER HUMANITARIAN STANCE
Positioning Türkiye’s Gaza policy within a broader humanitarian framework, Erdoğan said the country has consistently come to the aid of those in distress.
“From the Caucasus to the Balkans, from Africa to Asia, whoever has been in distress, we have rushed to their aid. This was the case yesterday, it is the case today, and it will never change tomorrow,” he said.
He emphasized that Türkiye supports peace, and will not tolerate injustice.
“Everyone should know that, as in the past, we are in favor of peace and calm today as well. But this does not mean that we consent to injustice or remain silent in the face of oppression. Never,” he said.
“Throughout our history, we have always been a land of refuge for the oppressed. Without looking at religion, language, or origin, we opened our doors to those who were crushed, humiliated, subjected to oppression and massacres,” Erdoğan stressed.
“Whether in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Aegean, or anywhere else, we neither infringe on anyone’s rights nor allow our own rights to be violated,” Erdoğan said.
He also stressed that Türkiye would not allow the rights of Turkish Cypriots to be usurped, adding that agreements, signatures, or political messaging would not alter Ankara’s stance.
Turning to domestic security, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s push for a “terror-free Türkiye” has begun to ease pessimism beyond its borders, adding that Arab, Kurdish, Turkmen, Sunni, and Shia communities are looking to the future with renewed hope.
“Türkiye has finally embarked on a path of peace, security, development, and prosperity,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Erdoğan underlined the country’s resolve: “As Türkiye, we will continue to act with dignity, wisdom, common sense and calm, in line with international law, our bilateral agreements, and our deep-rooted tradition.”
