Security forces have arrested Brigadier General Atef Najib, the former head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa, who is accused of committing grave human rights violations against children who called for freedom at the onset of the Syrian revolution.
A source informed Syria TV that Najib was apprehended in the countryside of Latakia province, in northwestern Syria.
Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Knaifati, Director of the Public Security Directorate in Latakia, confirmed the arrest, stating:
“In a high-level security operation, the Public Security Directorate in Latakia, in coordination with military forces, successfully apprehended Brigadier General Atef Najib, who previously served as the head of the Political Security Branch in Daraa.”
Knaifati further emphasized the significance of the arrest, adding:
“Najib is regarded as one of those responsible for committing crimes against the Syrian people. This operation is part of the authorities’ broader efforts to ensure accountability for human rights violations and to enhance security and stability in the region.”
Who is Atef Najib?
Brigadier General Atef Najib, a cousin of Bashar al-Assad, held various positions within Syria’s political security apparatus, serving in Damascus and Tartous before assuming leadership of the Political Security Branch in Daraa just before the Syrian revolution erupted.
Najib became infamous following the protests in Daraa on March 18, 2011, which were among the first sparks of the Syrian uprising. Demonstrators chanted against him, demanding his removal, after his forces arrested and tortured a group of children. Najib is accused of being behind the torture and killing of young Hamza al-Khatib, a 13-year-old boy who was detained during a protest before his lifeless body was delivered to his family, having been badly bruised and mutilated. This incident galvanised the anti-regime protests.
Reports circulated that he had threatened local dignitaries and humiliated residents, exacerbating tensions in the city.
In an attempt to defuse the growing unrest, Bashar al-Assad formed an investigative committee to examine the events in Daraa. However, rather than dismissing Najib, Assad merely reassigned him to the Political Security Branch in Idlib. On June 13, 2011, the investigation committee issued a travel ban against both Atef Najib and Faisal Kalthoum, the former governor of Daraa.
Najib was subsequently placed on the U.S. sanctions list on April 29, 2011, followed by the European sanctions list on May 9, 2011. Years later, on December 3, 2020, the Syrian regime seized the assets of his sister, Reem Najib, and her husband, Alaa Ibrahim, the former governor of Rural Damascus.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
