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Hafez Bashar al-Assad

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For his grandfather, see Hafez al-Assad.
Hafez al-Assad
حافظ الأسد
Born (2001-12-04) 4 December 2001 (age 22)
Damascus, Syria
Education
Parents

Hafez Bashar al-Assad (Arabic: حافظ بشار الأسد; born 4 December 2001) is the eldest son of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma al-Assad. He has been considered as a potential successor to his father.[1][2][3]

Personal life

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Assad was born in Damascus on 4 December 2001 and also, was raised there.[4][5][6] He was named after his grandfather, former President of Syria Hafez al-Assad.[7][6] In his youth, he attended a Montessori school alongside his sister, Zein, and brother, Karim.[4][8] They also attended a language school in the Baramkeh district of Damascus.[9]

Assad received media attention in 2013 when a Facebook account attributed to him posted a criticism of the U.S. military in the wake of the Ghouta chemical attack.[8] However, both Syrian opposition figures and outside media sources questioned whether the since-deleted account was authentic.[10][11]

In 2020, Assad was placed under sanction by the U.S. Department of State in connection with previous sanctions targeting his father's regime.[5][12] As a result, he is not allowed to travel to or own assets in the United States.[7]

Assad is fluent in English.[13][14] He also speaks Russian.[15]

Mathematics competitions

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Assad has described mathematics to the media as his "childhood passion."[16] He participated in the International Mathematical Olympiad, representing Syria, from 2016 to 2018.[17]

  • 2016 International Mathematical Olympiad (Hong Kong) – He placed 355th out of 602 overall and 4th out of 6 on the Syrian team.[17]
  • 2017 International Mathematical Olympiad (Rio de Janeiro) – He placed 528th out of 615 overall and 6th out of 6 on the Syrian team.[18]
  • 2018 International Mathematical Olympiad (Cluj-Napoca) – He placed 486th out of 594 overall and 6th out of 6 on the Syrian team.[17]

Assad's participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad has been criticized by some outside observers, viewing his inclusion on the Syrian team as the result of nepotism.[19] However, this has been explicitly denied by a representative of the Syrian government, claiming that Assad qualified in fair competition for a space on the team.[14]

Political views

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During the 2017 IMO, Assad was interviewed by O Globo. When asked if his father is a dictator, he defended him saying: ‘I know what kind of man my father is. People say a lot of things, many are blind. But that's not reality’. He also took his father's side in conflict, saying: ‘It's not a civil war, it's people taking over our home. It's a war against the people. The population and the government are united against the invaders who are taking over the country.’[20][21]

Education

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In 2015, Assad received his primary education certificate from Naeem Maasarani School in Damascus with a final grade of 2983 out of 3000.[22]

In 2018, Assad received his secondary education certificate from Sawa and Montessori School in Damascus with a final grade of 2672 out of 2900.[23][24]

In 2016, it was announced that Assad would complete his higher education in Russia.[25] Before he matriculated to Moscow State University, he studied for a period of time at the Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technology in Damascus.[24] In 2023, Assad graduated with a master's degree in mathematics from the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of Moscow State University with honors.[1][26][27] He wrote his thesis on the topic of number theory.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Syria cracked down on Wagner after mutiny in Russia: Report". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Is the West Waiting for Hafez Bashar al-Assad to Become President?". The Syrian Observer. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Hafez, el hijo 'matemático' de Asad se prepara para reinar en la república siria". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 19 February 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Asma al-Assad: A Rose in the Desert". Gawker. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Syria Designations; Syria-related Designations and Designation Removal". U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Hafez Assad Jr., Syria's first child". United Press International. 9 December 2001. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b "US slaps sanctions on Bashar al-Assad's 18-year-old son Hafez in latest bid to squeeze regime". France24. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Facebook Post Said to Be by Assad's Son Dares Americans to Attack". The New York Times. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  9. ^ Stephen Starr (28 September 2019). "The quiet tragedy of a teenage boy in Damascus". The Arab Weekly. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  10. ^ El-Shenawi, Eman (31 August 2013). "Hoax or not, 'Assad son' Facebook outburst brews media storm". Al Arabiya News. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  11. ^ Berman, Taylor (29 August 2013). "Did Assad's Son Write a Facebook Post Daring Americans to Attack?". Gawker. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  12. ^ Wintour, Patrick (29 July 2020). "US imposes sanctions on son of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  13. ^ "No Rio, filho de ditador sírio compete na Olimpíada de Matemática". O Globo (in Portuguese). 17 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  14. ^ a b Lichterbeck, Philipp (23 July 2017). "Verrechnet - der Sohn des Diktators bei der Mathe-Olympiade". Tagesspiegel (in German). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Assad's children 'learn languages, practise hobbies'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Son of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad wants 'normal' treatment at maths competition in Romania". The Straits Times. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  17. ^ a b c "Hafez Alassad". International Mathematical Olympiad. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  18. ^ "Hafez Al-Assad". International Mathematical Olympiad. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Assad's Son, Math Competitions, and Solving the Syrian Nepotism Equation". Syria Justice and Accountability Centre. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  20. ^ Ferreira, Paula (17 July 2017). "No Rio, filho de ditador sírio compete na Olimpíada de Matemática" [In Rio, son of Syrian dictator competes in the Mathematics Olympiad]. O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  21. ^ Senkul, Ceren (19 July 2017). "Bashar al Assad's son: People are 'blind' to what my father is really like". Sky News. UK. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  22. ^ "حافظ بشار الأسد.. نجاح بالإعدادية يؤهله للرئاسة" [Hafez Bashar al-Assad... Graduating preparatory school qualifies him for presidency]. Al Jazeera Arabic (in Arabic). 20 June 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  23. ^ "نجل الأسد ينجح في الثانوية.. علامة متدنية في التربية الدينية" [Al-Assad's son graduates high school...a low grade in religious education]. Enab Baladi (in Arabic). 28 June 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  24. ^ a b "السيدة الاولى أسماء الأسد تحضر حفل التخرج في موسكو.. حافظ بشار الأسد يحصل على الشهادة الحمراء في الرياضيات [First lady Asma al-Assad attends graduation ceremony in Moscow. Hafez Bashar al-Assad receives honors diploma in mathematics]". Al-Watan (in Arabic). Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  25. ^ "Сын Башара Асада с отличием окончил МГУ [Son of Bashar Assad graduated MSU with honors]". RBK (in Russian). 29 June 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  26. ^ "Bashar Assad's son graduates with honors from Moscow State University — newspaper". TASS. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  27. ^ a b "СМИ: старший сын Асада окончил магистратуру МГУ с красным дипломом [Media: Eldest son of Assad graduated MSU master's program with honors]". RIA Novosti (in Russian). 29 June 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
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