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Atef Najib (Former Security Official) Biography: Age, Career, Family

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 22, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth1960

Age60 Years

BirthplaceJableh, Syria

ProfessionMilitary Personnel

NationalitySyrian

FamilyFirst cousin of Bashar al-Assad; parents Najib Alaa and Fatima Makhlouf; siblings Ammar, Reem, Norma

Atef Najib (Former Security Official) Biography

Atef Najib is a former Syrian security official and brigadier general who headed Political Security in Daraa during the 2011 protests. A maternal first-cus

Early life and background

Atef Najib was born in Jableh, Syria, in 1960. He grew up in a family with mixed sectarian background: his father, Najib Alaa, was Sunni and worked as a roadside gas seller, while his mother, Fatima Makhlouf, was Alawite and the sister of Anisa Makhlouf. Through his mother, Najib was a first cousin of Hafez al-Assad’s son Bashar al-Assad.

Najib attended the Syria Military Academy and entered the country’s intelligence and security services. Accounts of his early career describe a period of dismissal in 1992, followed by a return to the security apparatus in 1998 after intervention from senior family members. He held a series of intelligence posts in Damascus and elsewhere, rising to the rank of brigadier general and developing ties within the Political Security Directorate.

Career

After his reinstatement, Najib served as deputy head of the Political Security Directorate in Damascus, operating from the Mezzeh area. Over time he accumulated influence and personal networks within Syria’s security and political landscape. He was later assigned to positions in Tartus and, from late 2008, took the post of head of Political Security in Daraa Governorate.

While in Daraa, Najib is reported to have controlled a range of local economic and security levers, including oversight of trade movements, parts of the water system, and surveillance networks. His role made him one of the most powerful security officials in the province. He was moved out of the Daraa post in April 2011 and later served as head of Political Security in Idlib Governorate.

Role in the 2011 unrest and legal consequences

In March 2011, Daraa became the focal point of protests that grew into nationwide unrest. Najib was the head of the Political Security branch in the governorate during the early days of those protests. An arrest of a group of teenagers for writing anti-government slogans escalated tensions in the city; the detainees were held by the Political Security branch and allegations of mistreatment and abusive conduct circulated in the aftermath.

Reports indicate that Najib met with families of the detained teenagers and that statements he made during those meetings heightened local anger and helped fuel broader protests. In response to the unrest, Najib was removed from his Daraa position in April 2011, and later faced travel restrictions. International sanctions were imposed against him by the United States in April 2011, and similar measures were taken by the European Union, Canada, Japan and Australia.

Following the collapse of the Assad government in December 2024 and the establishment of a new caretaker administration, Najib was arrested by Syrian General Security in rural Latakia on 31 January 2025. Authorities said they had monitored his movements after he left Damascus and alleged he was attempting to exit Syria via smuggling routes.

A public trial of several former regime figures began in Damascus in April 2026. Najib was charged in multiple cases alleging murder, torture and involvement in massacres; around 75 complainants filed allegations against him. On 11 August 2026, a Syrian court found Najib guilty of premeditated, intentional murder and torture resulting in death, and sentenced him to death. His trial was conducted while he was in Syrian custody, in contrast to some other former regime figures who were tried in absentia.

Public profile

Najib’s public profile is closely tied to his role in Daraa during the early 2011 protests, an episode that is widely cited as a catalyst for the wider conflict that followed. Over the years his name has appeared on international sanctions lists and in news coverage of accountability measures against former members of the Assad-era security apparatus.

Family and personal details

Najib’s parents are listed as Najib Alaa and Fatima Makhlouf. He has a brother, Ammar Najib, and two sisters, Reem and Norma Najib. He is identified as Muslim, and physical descriptions note light brown eyes and gray hair.

Latest updates

After the fall of the Assad government, Najib’s arrest in January 2025 and subsequent public trial in 2026 marked the most significant legal actions against him. The August 11, 2026 court verdict sentencing him to death concluded the trial in which he was convicted on charges that included murder and torture.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Atef Najib (Former Security Official), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Head of Political Security, Daraa Governorate

Served as head of the Political Security branch in Daraa during the early 2011 protests; later removed from the post in April 2011.

2008–2011
Head of Political Security, Idlib Governorate

Appointed to lead the Political Security branch in Idlib after his removal from Daraa.

2011
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Career Highlights

  1. Graduated from the Syria Military Academy and rose to the rank of brigadier general
  2. Served as deputy head of the Political Security Directorate in Damascus
  3. Headed Political Security in Daraa and later in Idlib
  4. Placed on international sanctions lists in 2011
  5. Arrested in January 2025 and tried publicly in 2026, receiving a death sentence on 11 August 2026
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Atef Najib (Former Security Official) born?

Atef Najib (Former Security Official) was born on 1960.

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Atef Najib (Former Security Official) is known for military Personnel.