Assad Overthrown, America Searches For Journalist Arrested 12 Years Ago In Syria

UNSPLASH White House/ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - United States (US) officials communicated with people in Syria to seek information about Austin Tice, an American journalist who was arrested more than 12 years ago in Syria.

"This is our top priority to find Austin Tice, find the location of the prison where he was detained, put him out, take him home safely to his family," White House National Security Adviser Jake Sulliva said in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America program.

We speak through Turkey and other parties to people in Syria to say, "Help us in this. Help us bring Austin Tice home," Imbunua said.

Tice, a former US Marine and freelance journalist, was 31 years old when he was kidnapped in August 2012 while reporting in Damascus about the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted by Syrian rebels who seized the capital Damascus on Sunday. Syria denies he was detained.

Assad fled to Russia after a 13-year civil war and six decades of his family's autocratic rule.

President Joe Biden said on Sunday, December 8, the US government believed Tice was still alive.

"We believe he is still alive. We thought we could get him back but we don't have direct evidence of that. Assad must be responsible," Biden said.

"We have to identify where he is," he added.

Sullivan met Tice's mother, Total Tice, last Friday at the White House after she told reporters at the National Press Club she believed her son was still alive.