Atef Najib (Arabic: عاطف نجيب; born 1964/1965) was a Syrian officer and the political security chief in the city of Daraa, and is a first cousin of President Assad.[1] He is known as being a catalyst for one of the flashpoints that ignited the Syrian civil war, when in 2011 he directed the abduction and torture of 15 boys which had written anti-Assad slogans on a public area in Daraa.[2] His aggressive actions prompted non-violent protests by local inhabitants, and - after fire was opened by security forces at a protest march - the gradual start of armed resistance.[1][3]
References
Further reading
- Shadid, Anthony (2 May 2011). "In Syria, Reports of Arrests Proliferate". New York Times.
- Muir, Jim (24 March 2011). "Syria: Setting the country alight?". BBC News.
- Friedman, Uri. "U.S. Responds to Syrian Crackdown with New Round of Sanctions". The Atlantic Wire.
- Sands, Phil (20 March 2014). "Blood ties: the shadowy member of the Assad clan who ignited the Syrian conflict". The National.