Mother of American Journalist Abducted in Syria Arrives in Damascus

The mother of Austin Tice, an independent journalist and former U.S. Marine who was abducted in Syria 12 years ago, has traveled to the country to intensify the search for her son. According to Reuters, she arrived in Damascus, the capital of Syria, on Saturday, January 29, and expressed hope of returning home with her child. Austin Tice, who worked as an independent journalist with The Washington Post and other media outlets, was one of the first American journalists to enter Syria after the civil war began. Debra Tice traveled from Lebanon to Syria with Nizar Zakka, the head of the Hostage Aid Organization, which is searching for Austin. Debra Tice, who last visited Damascus in 2015 to meet with Syrian officials, told Reuters that she eagerly awaits seeing her son and wants to embrace him. Officials of the former Syrian regime had previously revoked Debra Tice's visa, preventing her from traveling to the country in recent years. The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime by Syrian rebels allowed Debra Tice to travel from Texas to Syria. Debra Tice stated that an inner feeling tells her that her son is in Syria and believes he can sense her presence. She and Mr. Zakka hope to meet with new Syrian officials, including Ahmad al-Shara, the head of the new Syrian government, to gain more information about Austin. They are also optimistic that Donald Trump, the incoming U.S. President, who will be inaugurated on Monday, will pursue the status of Austin Tice. Austin Tice, now 43 years old, was abducted in August 2012 in the suburbs of Damascus. Washington believes that officials of the former Syrian regime took him captive in the country. According to Debra Tice, Syrian officials have never confirmed her son's detention in past meetings. She criticized the Biden administration, which is soon leaving the White House, stating that they have not negotiated sufficiently for her son's release, especially in recent months. Debra Tice, entering Syria with tearful eyes from the Lebanese border, said that at this moment she thinks of the thousands of Syrian families whose loved ones are imprisoned in Assad's regime with no information about their fate. Efforts by the U.S. to bring Travis Timmerman back from Syria. The White House: The American journalist abducted in Syria is alive. Joe Biden once again called for the release of the American journalist in Syria. The President of the United States, coinciding with World Press Freedom Day, called for the release of all imprisoned journalists worldwide. Efforts by Lebanon to free the missing American journalist in Syria. Biden urged the Syrian government to facilitate the return of the American hostage.