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Onder Sigircikoglu, a former Turkish spy, has been captured on the Syria–Lebanon border following a joint operation between Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and the Syrian Intelligence Service on Monday.
He was accused of carrying out espionage activities against Türkiye for the Assad regime, according to initial reports.
Sigircikoglu was previously implicated in a high-profile case dating back to 2011, when he allegedly abducted Free Syrian Army commanders Huseyin Harmoush and Mustafa Kassum and handed them over to the Assad regime.
Harmoush later died under torture, an incident widely seen as a turning point in the Syrian conflict.
Following the incident, Sigircikoglu was convicted in 2013 on charges of “depriving a person of their liberty through force, threats, or deception” and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
However, he escaped from Osmaniye Prison in 2014.
Authorities believe that he hid in Syria, Russia, and Lebanon in recent years.
After fleeing to Syria, Sigircikoglu was placed under protection by the Assad regime's intelligence.
In return, he was tasked with carrying out active intelligence activities against Türkiye.
During this period, he reportedly shared the identities and movements of individuals working in favor of Türkiye with the Assad regime's intelligence.
Sigircikoglu also contacted Russian intelligence and held meetings during which he shared strategic and sensitive information related to Türkiye
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It was determined that Sigircikoglu first hid in Syria, then in a house in Lebanon's Jabal Mohsen area, before moving to Russia’s Krasnodar region. He later returned to Lebanon via Egypt.
Upon receiving intelligence that Sigircikoglu would attempt to re-enter Syria, a covert joint operation was planned between MIT and Syrian intelligence.
After 12 years on the run, Sigircikoglu was captured in a joint operation carried out on the Syria–Lebanon border.
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