According to reliable sources, Athr Press has received confirmation that Ankara has taken the decision to freeze the assets and seize the properties belonging to two leaders affiliated with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) in Idleb.
The sources have identified the two leaders as Jihad Issa Al-Sheikh and Omar al-Sheikh, who are responsible for managing various investments in Turkey. They have been handling the funds of an individual named Abu Maria al-Qahtani, an Iraqi national who holds a prominent position within HTS, ranking second after the leader Abu Muhammad al-Julani.
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These leaders, Jihad and Omar al-Sheikh, have managed to remain relatively unknown figures, thanks to the efforts of Qahtani, who kept them concealed in order to utilize their assistance in channelling illicitly obtained funds from Idleb into Turkey. Athr sources have disclosed that the two leaders maintain close coordination with a Turkish intelligence officer named Ayman Haroush, who aids them in various legal matters within Turkish territory.
The decision to freeze their assets was prompted by US intelligence, which shared conclusive evidence with their Turkish counterparts, highlighting the involvement of Turkish officer Haroush with HTS leaders in illicit financial operations associated with HTS in Idleb.
According to sources, it has been revealed that significant sums of money are being channelled into the coffers of Julani, through various means such as levies, checkpoints, theft, kidnappings, fuel trafficking, and human smuggling. The total monthly revenue generated from these activities is estimated to be around $25 million. Julani is known to invest these funds in Turkish territory, particularly in restaurants, cafes, and hotels, operating under different aliases.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
