India, Aug. 11 -- A Syrian court sentenced ousted President Bashar Assad, along with his younger brother, to death in absentia on Tuesday, Aug 11 for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria's 14-year conflict, which left about half a million people dead.

Also sentenced to death in the same case was Assad's maternal cousin, Atef Najib, for leading the crackdown in the southern province of Daraa that sparked the uprising and later the civil war.

Amid tight security, Najib stood inside a cage wearing a prisoner's uniform as the judge read the sentence.

Assad and his brother Maher fled to Russia after insurgents marched into Damascus in December [2024]. Najib was later detained and became one of the highest-ranking officials to...