The American non-governmental organization “Hostage Aid Worldwide” stated that it has information confirming that American journalist Austin Tice, missing in Syria since 2012, is still alive, although his current location remains unknown.
During a press conference, an official from the organization revealed that they had information indicating that Tice was alive as of last January. This aligns with U.S. President Joe Biden’s statement in August, when he declared, “We are certain he is alive today.”
The organization held the press conference on Tuesday, December 24, to shed light on the latest developments in the case of Austin Tice and other foreign missing persons in Syria. They displayed images showing locations where Tice was held between November 2017 and February of this year.
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The organization emphasized its collaboration with the Tice family and U.S. authorities to uncover the journalist’s fate. It also mentioned the case of Yohanna Ibrahim, a Syrian-American Christian cleric who was last seen in 2018 at the Assad regime’s Branch 291 after being abducted in Aleppo in April 2013. The regime had alleged that extremists were behind his kidnapping.
On December 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he had not met Bashar al-Assad since Assad’s relocation to Moscow (as a refugee after his regime’s collapse). However, Putin promised to inquire about Tice’s fate.
Russia Today quoted Putin saying, “I will speak with Assad about him (Austin Tice), who disappeared in an area of armed clashes at the time… Does Assad himself know the fate of the journalist who was performing his duty in the midst of these clashes?”
The United States has requested assistance from “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” (HTS) in locating and freeing Austin Tice during operations to liberate prisons in the wake of Bashar al-Assad’s ousting, according to a Reuters report.
White House spokesperson John Kirby stated on December 10 that American officials are doing everything they can to gather as much information as possible about Austin Tice. Kirby emphasized that the situation in Syria might provide an opportunity to uncover new details about the journalist’s location and condition, assuming he is alive. No contradictory evidence has surfaced.
The U.S. Department of State has also announced a reward of up to $10 million for information about Austin Tice. The department expressed hope that the fall of the Assad regime could yield new leads about Tice’s fate. It assured that tips could be submitted confidentially, with provisions for a financial reward and possible resettlement. Clear procedures and contact numbers were provided for handling this case.
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On December 12, residents in the Damascus countryside discovered American citizen Travis Timmerman after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the opening of detention centers by Syrian opposition factions.
According to CBS News, Travis Timmerman, a native of Missouri, was released after Assad was forced to step down following a surprise offensive by the opposition.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
