Official reports from the US State Department or credible news agencies

29-Year-Old Missouri Man Freed from Syrian Prison by Rebels After Regime Collapse

Dec 12, 2024, 12:09 PM

An American citizen, Travis Timmerman, who had been detained in Syria for seven months, was found alive in Damascus following the collapse of the Assad regime. Timmerman, a 29-year-old from Missouri, had entered Syria from Lebanon on a Christian pilgrimage. He was initially mistaken for Austin Tice, an American journalist who has been missing in Syria since 2012. Timmerman described his time in prison as 'not too bad', stating he was not beaten but was only allowed to use the bathroom three times a day. He was freed by rebels who overthrew the regime with a hammer, and has since been trying to make his way out of the country, heading towards Jordan. The new Syrian authorities have expressed readiness to cooperate with the U.S. to locate other missing Americans, including Austin Tice.