Overview

• Austin Tice, an American journalist and Marine Corps veteran, disappeared in Syria in 2012 and is believed to have been held by the Assad regime, which has denied responsibility.
• President Joe Biden stated on Sunday that the U.S. government is committed to locating and returning Tice, despite lacking direct evidence of his current condition or whereabouts.
• The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, following a rapid rebel offensive in Damascus, has raised hopes for Tice’s recovery as political prisons are being emptied across Syria.
• Tice’s family, citing a vetted source, believes he is alive and well, and has urged both U.S. officials and the international community to intensify efforts to secure his release.
• The FBI has renewed its $1 million reward for information leading to Tice’s safe return, while U.S. forces remain in Syria to address ongoing regional threats and opportunities.