Official U.S. government announcements and State Department releases

U.S. Military Evacuates American Citizen Travis Timmerman After Release by Syrian Rebels

Dec 13, 2024, 07:14 PM

The U.S. military has successfully evacuated Travis Timmerman, a 29-year-old American citizen, from Syria where he had been imprisoned for seven months. Timmerman was among the thousands released by Syrian rebels following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. He was transported out of the country on a U.S. military helicopter, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing nature of the operation. Timmerman had ventured into Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was held in the notorious Palestine Branch detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. His release came after rebels seized control of Damascus, leading to the dramatic upheaval of Assad's regime.