The Syrian Emergency Task Force continues its mission to locate missing Americans like Austin Tice in post-Assad Syria. The U.S. government is optimistic Tice is alive and being held by the Syrian government. What are the ongoing efforts to locate Tice?
The Disappearance of Austin Tice
In 2012, Austin Tice, a journalist and former Marine captain, vanished in Syria. During a reporting trip, he was seized, possibly by extremists, and his family believes he remains alive. The U.S. government suspects his detention by the Syrian government, which hasn’t acknowledged holding him. The FBI and the State Department have offered large rewards for information leading to his safe return.
The fall of Assad’s regime brought renewed efforts to find Tice. President Joe Biden and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan have emphasized this case’s significance. The U.S. ranks it as a top priority to locate the prison where he might be held, aiming to secure his release.
The US believes journalist Austin Tice is alive after disappearing in Syria in 2012, Biden says https://t.co/qHGat0Z09q pic.twitter.com/MgDhi1WyYh
— New York Post (@nypost) December 9, 2024
Increased Efforts and Ongoing Challenges
The Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF), led by Mouaz Moustafa, remains on the ground in Syria, exploring options in Damascus. Moustafa plans to visit locations that might provide clues to Tice’s whereabouts. The organization tirelessly works to trace any leads, believing in every Syrian’s duty to aid in Tice’s safe return.
“God willing, he’s alive. God willing, we can find him and bring him home,” said Mouaz Moustafa.
Despite no direct evidence, U.S. officials remain optimistic about Tice’s condition. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens traveled to Beirut seeking information. The SETF’s commitment underscores hopes that the missing may soon return home.
Biden says the US believes journalist Austin Tice is alive after disappearing in Syria in 2012 https://t.co/2sHUL5af0q
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) December 8, 2024
Hope in the Post-Assad Era
Assad’s government was infamous for detaining and torturing political prisoners. Syrians celebrated the regime’s downfall, revealing secret prison cells and detention centers. Many detainees were found, but others remain missing, fostering hope with organizations like The White Helmets offering rewards for information about such facilities.
“We will not leave a stone unturned while I’m here in Damascus, and I hope to find them,” said Mouaz Moustafa.
Declassified areas such as the Saydnaya military prison, notoriously dubbed a “human slaughterhouse,” have come under scrutiny. Amnesty International continues to spotlight those forcibly disappeared, maintaining international focus on this urgent humanitarian issue.