Hafez al-Assad, the eldest son of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in mathematics at Moscow State University (MGU), marking a significant academic achievement amid ongoing civil war in Syria.

The 98-page dissertation, written in Russian and focused on algebraic number theory and polynomial research, was defended on November 29, local Russian Vecherniya Moskva reported on December 4.

The doctoral committee, led by scientific advisor Vladimir Chubarikov, included senior academics from MGU, Tula State University, and the Tajikistan Academy of Sciences, who recommended awarding the degree.

In his closing remarks, the 22-year-old al-Assad expressed gratitude to "the martyrs of his homeland," particularly those from the Syrian army.

The younger al-Assad is not on record as having fought for his father’s Damascus-based regime.

The timing of his defence coincided with opposition forces' advances in Aleppo, highlighting the stark contrast between his academic pursuits in Moscow and the ongoing conflict in Syria.

Hafez al-Assad II has been under US sanctions since July 2020, when the Treasury Department included him among four Syrian individuals and ten organisations targeted by restrictions.

His academic achievement in Moscow solidifies close ties between Russia and the Assad family, as the net continues to close on the family which was once favoured by several Western governments.

The development comes as Syria grapples with renewed fighting, with his father's government facing its most serious military setback in years following rebel advances in the country's north.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the militant group that has seized control of Aleppo and parts of Hama in a surprise offensive, has a complex history in Syria's long-running conflict.

Originally established in 2011 as the terror group Jabhat al-Nusra, it began as an Al Qaeda affiliate and has since evolved into one of Syria's most powerful opposition forces against the government of Al-Assad, which failed to defeat the opposition in the north of the country since the majority of fighting stopped some years ago.

Earlier on December 1, Iran’s Ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, dismissed rumours of a military coup in Damascus and an attempt to detain Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was outside the country when HTS took control of the Aleppo.

The Syrian Army General Command had previously rejected rumours of a coup in a statement, describing them as part of a wider media campaign orchestrated by "armed terrorist organisations." The Command accused opposition forces of disseminating "false news" aimed at undermining the morale of Syrian civilians and soldiers.