Atef Najib (Arabic: عاطف نجيب; born 1964/1965) is a Syrian former officer and the political security chief in the city of Daraa, and a first cousin of President Bashar al-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 who had written anti-Assad slogans in 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]
- ^ a b "Joined in blood". The National. 2014-03-20. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
- ^ "Concerns over "rampant torture" - Syrian Arab Republic". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
- ^ "Syria: How it all began". The World from PRX. Retrieved 2021-12-26.