US citizen reveals details of detention in notorious Syrian prison

US officials announced on Friday that American citizen Travis Timmerman, 29, was flown out of Syria to Jordan on a US military helicopter.

Details of the Operation

Timmerman, who had been missing for seven months in a notorious Syrian prison, was among thousands of prisoners released this week after armed opposition forces took control of Damascus and forced former President Bashar Al-Assad to step down.

His final destination has not been confirmed, but sources indicate he expressed a desire to remain in the region.

Timmerman’s Statements

In an interview with the Associated Press, Timmerman stated that he had not been mistreated during his detention at the infamous Palestine Branch, a Syrian intelligence facility.

He described being held in a cell with a mattress and plastic water containers. Timmerman relied on the Friday prayer call to track the days during his detention and mentioned that he was isolated from other Syrian and Arab prisoners, also unaware of any other Americans in the facility.

Release Process

Timmerman explained that he was released last Monday morning along with a Syrian youth and 70 female prisoners, some of whom had children. The release occurred after opposition fighters stormed the prison.

He described how the freed prisoners used a hammer to break open his cell door. 

"I was freed by the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down of my cell with a hammer," he told AP.

Circumstances of Detention

Timmerman was detained in June after entering Syria while on a Christian pilgrimage through Zahle, Lebanon.

Last week, Syria experienced dramatic upheaval as opposition forces seized control of Damascus and forced Assad from power, leading to the release of thousands of detainees from Syrian prisons.