Bab El Ehr
Bab El Ehr, a self-styled "sheik", is an Arab insurgent who fights Emir Mohammed Ben Kalish Ezab, ruler of the fictional Middle Eastern state of Khemed; though overall he comes across as a villain rather than a noble fighter. In Land of Black Gold he is shown allied with Doctor Müller and his Skoil Petroleum Company, and fighting a guerilla war against Ben Kalish Ezab. Bab El Ehr's men mistake Tintin for a weapons smuggler working for the sheik, and rescue him from Ben Kalish Ezab's soldiers. After discovering the mistake, Bab El Ehr accuses Tintin of being a spy for the Emir, and makes him a prisoner. Tintin collapses from thirst after a long march on foot through the desert, and is left behind by Bab El Ehr. Bab El Ehr does not play a role in the second part of the story, the role of primary antagonist being taken by Doctor Müller.
Bab El Ehr plays a major behind-the-scenes role in The Red Sea Sharks, having used Mosquito fighter planes provided by J. M. Dawson to carry out a successful coup d'état and overthrow the Emir. After Dawson discovers Tintin spying on his arms dealership, he warns Bab El Ehr, who puts out a reward for the capture of Tintin and Haddock. Soon, the Marquis di Gorgonzola, the alias of Rastapopoulos, takes over the role of primary antagonist. At the close of The Red Sea Sharks, Bab El Ehr's regime is overthrown and he is presumably executed.
His name is derived from the Brussels dialect word babbelaar or "tattler".
Read more about this topic: Characters Of The Adventures Of Tintin, Supporting Characters