Muhammad Najem

{{Short description|Syrian war reporter (born 2002)}}

{{Orphan|date=July 2023}}

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| name = Muhammad Najem

| image = Muhammad Najem.jpg

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2002|09|09}}

| birth_place = Eastern Ghouta in Syria

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Muhammad Najem (born 2002) is a Syrian war reporter and activist who has been documenting the Syrian civil war since the age of 15.{{Cite web |date=2018-06-01 |title=Meet the inspiring teenagers shaping the future they want to see |url=https://www.huckmag.com/article/teenage-activists-protest-worldwide-agents-of-change |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Huck |language=en |archive-date=2023-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504032358/https://www.huckmag.com/article/teenage-activists-protest-worldwide-agents-of-change |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last= |title=Eastern Ghouta: Children tell of life under bombs through social media |url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/eastern-ghouta-children-tell-life-under-bombs-through-social-media |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en |archive-date=2023-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504033859/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/eastern-ghouta-children-tell-life-under-bombs-through-social-media |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Daniel |title=A 15-year-old Syrian boy is tweeting heartbreaking videos of Eastern Ghouta under attack from furious Russian and government airstrikes |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/muhammad-najem-syria-eastern-ghouta-tweets-2018-2 |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430191648/https://www.businessinsider.com/muhammad-najem-syria-eastern-ghouta-tweets-2018-2 |url-status=live }} In December 2017, his home of Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, was besieged by the Syrian Army, and Najem told his family he wanted to tell their story. They decided to release English-language videos on YouTube featuring Najem, assisted by his older brother Firas, a photojournalist, and their sister Hiba, a teacher, who helped translate.{{Cite web |last=Naddaff |first=A. J. |title=Syria's teen documentarian |url=https://www.cjr.org/the_profile/muhammad-najem.php |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en |archive-date=2023-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501124035/https://www.cjr.org/the_profile/muhammad-najem.php |url-status=live }} His videos attained a wide audience in February 2018, when CNN producer Nora Neus picked up his story.{{Cite web |last=Neus |first=Nora |date=2018-02-21 |title=The 15-year-old documenting Eastern Ghouta massacre with selfie videos |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/21/middleeast/teenager-ghouta-selfie-videos-intl/index.html |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430191648/https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/21/middleeast/teenager-ghouta-selfie-videos-intl/index.html |url-status=live }} Shortly after, RT ran a story accusing him of being a "crisis actor".

In March 2019, Najem's family was forcibly evacuated to Idlib, and later became refugees in Istanbul Turkey. He continues to report on the Syrian conflict including conflicts in other Middle Eastern countries such as Palestine.{{Cite news |last=Pita |first=Xabier |date=2020-08-11 |title=El adolescente sirio que quiere contar toda la verdad sobre la guerra al mundo entero |language=es |work=El País |url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2020/08/10/planeta_futuro/1597072342_683390.html |access-date=2023-05-18 |issn=1134-6582 |archive-date=2023-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518183806/https://elpais.com/elpais/2020/08/10/planeta_futuro/1597072342_683390.html |url-status=live }}

He was featured in Know Your Rights and Claim Them, by Angelina Jolie.{{Cite web |last=Fane |title=FANE {{!}} Know Your Rights and Claim Them |url=https://www.fane.co.uk/know-your-rights |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=www.fane.co.uk |date=9 September 2019 |language=en-GB |archive-date=2023-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504032359/https://www.fane.co.uk/know-your-rights |url-status=live }} With Nora Neus and Julie Robine, he created a graphical autobiography entitled Muhammad Najem, War Reporter.{{Cite web |last=Labris |first=Elisabeth |title=Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One Boy Put the Spotlight on Syria |url=https://www.slj.com/review/muhammad-najem-war-reporter-how-one-boy-put-the-spotlight-on-syria |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=School Library Journal |archive-date=2023-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518183808/https://www.slj.com/review/muhammad-najem-war-reporter-how-one-boy-put-the-spotlight-on-syria |url-status=live }}{{Cite book |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/muhammad-najem/muhammad-najem-war-reporter/ |title=MUHAMMAD NAJEM, WAR REPORTER {{!}} Kirkus Reviews |language=en |access-date=2023-07-10 |archive-date=2023-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603210610/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/muhammad-najem/muhammad-najem-war-reporter/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Rearick |first=Lauren |date=2022-09-27 |title=Meet the Young Syrian Journalist Who Went Viral For Revolution Coverage |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/muhammad-najem-graphic-novel |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=Teen Vogue |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401004851/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/muhammad-najem-graphic-novel |url-status=live }}