Mother of missing American journalist Austin Tice meets Syria’s new leader

Debra Tice, the mother of American journalist Austin Tice who went missing in Syria twelve years ago, met with the country’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus yesterday, Monday – according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

Read more: NGO asserts missing journalist Austin Tice is alive

The report by SANA did not give further details on their meeting.

This meeting marks Debra Tice’s first visit to Syria in nearly a decade, as she intensifies efforts to locate her son, who disappeared in 2012 while reporting on the Syrian conflict.

Austin Tice, a freelance journalist and former US Marine, was abducted in August 2012 near Damascus. Despite extensive investigations and thousands of tips, his whereabouts remain unknown. In early 2013, he briefly escaped captivity but was recaptured shortly after.

During her visit, Debra Tice expressed optimism, stating that the administration of President-elect Donald Trump has offered support in locating her son.

She highlighted recent contacts with Trump administration officials and described her meeting with Ahmad al-Sharaa as productive, noting his “determination” to assist in her son's return.

Accompanied by Nizar Zakka, head of Hostage Aid Worldwide, Debra Tice hopes that the new Syrian leadership will provide information leading to Austin's whereabouts. Despite the Assad regime’s denial of holding Tice, the family believes he is alive based on information from an unidentified source.

Austin Tice's work has been featured in prominent outlets such as The Washington Post and McClatchy newspapers. His disappearance has drawn international attention, with various organizations and governments advocating for his release over the years.