American Tourist Found in Assad Regime's Prison After Disappearing in Syria

damascus - An American tourist, Travis Timmerman (29), who had been missing since June, was discovered in one of the prisons of the Assad regime by Syrians searching the facilities. Timmerman had been detained in Syria for entering the country without proper documentation while traveling as a pilgrim from Lebanon.

The Syrian authorities found Travis Timmerman in one of the prisons of the Assad regime, where he was detained after entering the country without proper documentation during his pilgrimage journey from Lebanon earlier this year. After his release, Timmerman shared details of his detention in Damascus, stating that he had not been mistreated but was only allowed to leave his cell three times a day to use the restroom.

The United States is now working to repatriate Timmerman back home from Syria, as confirmed by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Timmerman, who was reported missing by his family in the US in June, had been traveling in Europe, including volunteering in Hungary. His family mentioned that he holds multiple university degrees.

In another case, the US has sent a special envoy to Syria on Tuesday to aid in the search for American journalist Austin Tice (43), who went missing in Syria in 2012. Tice was captured while reporting on the war near Damascus as a freelance journalist at the age of 31. His family expressed hope for his safe return, emphasizing the efforts being made to bring him back home.