A cousin of the former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, Atef Najib, has been detained in the Latakia region of Syria, a stronghold for loyalists of the Assad family. Najib's involvement in suppressing the 2011 pro-democracy protests led to his detention, as he was head of the regime's Political Security Branch in Deraa at the time.
The protests in 2011 began after children in Deraa were arrested and tortured for writing anti-regime graffiti. Despite pleas from parents and local representatives, the children were subjected to horrific treatment, sparking widespread outrage and further demonstrations against the Assad regime.
