Thu'ban was a Kutami Berber commander based in Cairo until he was assigned by Caliph az-Zahir (r. 1021–1036) to replace Thu'ban's brother, Sanad al-Dawla al-Hasan, as governor of Aleppo after al-Hasan died of illness.
[1] In 1024 Salih ibn Mirdas, leader of the Banu Kilab, began attempts to wrest control of Aleppo.
His forces sporadically clashed with Thu'ban's troops beginning in October 1024,[2] and in 22 November, Salih himself besieged the city.
[2] After weeks of heavy clashes, Thu'ban was betrayed by Salim ibn Mustafad, the head of Aleppo's ahdath (urban militia), who opened Aleppo's Bab Qinnasrin gate to Salih.
[3] By 30 June, Salih's forces captured the palace and the citadel, and arrested Thu'ban.