Turkish media have described the death of Turkish citizen Haitham Toubalja, known as the "Ghost Leader," in a car accident as "strange," highlighting his connection to Turkish intelligence.
The "Top War" website reported that Toubalja died in the car accident under unusual circumstances, noting that he was referred to as the "Ghost Leader," with activities linked to Turkish intelligence. The report highlighted that Toubalja was one of the prominent arms smugglers into Syrian territory, with recorded activities dating back to 2011. Turkish authorities reportedly suspected him of providing Sarin gas to militants in Idlib province.
On April 4, 2017, a chemical attack occurred in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, prompting representatives of the armed opposition and international bodies to accuse the Syrian Armed Forces and Damascus of using Sarin gas. Later, Toubalja's name began to surface in relation to these events, as he was known to frequently travel between Idlib and Turkey. One account claimed that Toubalja delivered toxic materials to militants to execute a large-scale provocation.
The report stated that on February 10, at around 9 PM, a vehicle carrying Toubalja and several companions collided with a truck bearing the license plate (06 KH 8433) on the road near Konya (Turkey), close to the village of Merdifinli. Following an interrogation, the truck driver was released by the police, and the bodies of the deceased were buried on the same day in Hatay province.
It is noteworthy that several criminal cases had been filed against Toubalja in Turkey, with multiple warrants issued for his search and arrest. He had recently been sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison. Despite this, Haitham Toubalja was able to move almost freely within Turkey and across the Turkish-Syrian border, which remained a mystery, especially considering the existing arrest warrants and the enforceable sentence.
According to the latest data, from 2011 to 2014, Toubalja had a total of 873 crossings over the Turkish-Syrian border. Simultaneously, he regularly participated in gatherings of field commanders from the Turkey-backed "Free Syrian Army" and "Jabhat al-Nusra" militants (a terrorist organization banned in Russia).
Toubalja's real name is Haitham Ksas, and he is known in Syria by the alias Abu Salah. Middle East experts link his ability to move freely throughout Turkey and his arms smuggling activities with a possible involvement in Turkish intelligence operations.
