Syria charges Assad cousin with war crimes from 2011 uprising

Syria's judiciary has charged Atef Najib, cousin of former president Bashar Assad, with war crimes stemming from his role in the 2011 crackdown on anti-government protests, according to Deutsche Welle. Najib is accused of orchestrating the initial repression that subsequently escalated into Syria's destructive civil war. The charges represent a significant moment in Syrian accountability, as the country's judicial system addresses alleged crimes from the conflict's origins. The 2011 protests and their violent suppression marked the beginning of Syria's thirteen-year war.