The former chief counter-intelligence agent of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the General Staff of the Armed forces of Russia Igor Sergun died in the Lebanese capital Beirut in the course of a secret mission, the intelligence services of Arab and Middle Eastern countries could be involved in his death, the Lebanese newspaper “Al Akhbar” claims.

The publication tries to prove the possible involvement of Turkish intelligence into Sergun’s death. In particular, “Al Akhbar” notes that after the mysterious death of the chief counter-intelligence agent, Moscow has decided to further aggravate tensions with Ankara.

January 5, 2016, the official Internet-portal of the Russian President published information about unexpected death of the GRU chief, Colonel General Igor Sergun. It was reported that the General died January 3 at the age of 58 in Moscow region from overfatigue.

Later, the American private analytical and intelligence agency Stratfor announced that Sergun had not died in Russia, but in Lebanon in the course of a secret mission. However, this information was denied by the President’s Press Secretary, Dmitry Peskov, as well as by the senior official of the General Staff.