Shortly after his 31st birthday, Austin Tice, an American freelance journalist, sent an email to his father in Houston. He informed him that he had wrapped up his report on the impact of the Syrian conflict on ordinary lives.

Tice mentioned that he was transitioning from the outskirts of Damascus to nearby Lebanon.

Five weeks post his email, a distressing 43-second clip surfaced online, titled “Austin Tice is Alive.” In the video, a former U.S. Marine who decided to cover Syria’s civil war during his summer break from law school is seen blindfolded, surrounded by armed individuals.

The footage depicted Tice being led away by captors on a rocky terrain. He recited parts of a prayer in fragmented Arabic but halted, clearly distressed, uttering “oh Jesus, oh Jesus.”

Tice emailed his father on August 13, 2012. The video was released the following month and spread across various social media platforms, including a Facebook page run by supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Since then, Tice’s family, friends, colleagues, and the U.S. government have had no information on his status.

The recent and sudden collapse of Assad’s regime over the weekend has reignited hopes, albeit with limited immediate insights, that one of the longest-held American hostages could soon be freed, or at least, his fate clarified.

In a statement, Tice’s parents, Debra and Marc, expressed, “We are anxiously looking forward to seeing Austin free. We urge any supporters to help ensure Austin’s safe return to his family.”

President Joe Biden, speaking from the White House, stated that American officials believe Tice is still alive. The U.S. government remains committed to bringing him home once his location can be accurately determined.

“We are optimistic about securing his return,” Biden noted, while recognizing, “we lack direct evidence” regarding Tice’s condition.

Americans in Syria

Tice is one of two known Americans missing in Syria since the civil conflict began in 2011, following Assad’s harsh crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. The ongoing war has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

Almost half of Syria’s pre-war population of 23 million has been displaced, with over 5 million Syrians fleeing abroad, primarily to Turkey, Lebanon, and some European nations, including Germany, Austria, and Sweden.

Mohamad Helani, a Syrian refugee now residing in Austria, stated, “Under Assad’s rule, we didn’t live normal lives. Almost every household has lost someone to murder, torture in prisons, or failed attempts to escape, leaving families separated for years.”

The other missing American, Majd Kamalmaz, is a trauma psychologist from Virginia who disappeared in Syria in 2017 while visiting a family member and assisting refugees impacted by the civil war.

Kamalmaz, like Tice, was reported missing after being detained at a Syrian government checkpoint. His death in a Syrian prison was confirmed just this year by both the U.S. State Department and the Bring Our Families Home Campaign, a group advocating for the families of Americans wrongfully detained abroad.

President Biden has previously pointed fingers at Assad’s regime for Tice’s detention, highlighting his journalism contributions to outlets such as The Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers, and CBS. However, no group or governmental authority has taken responsibility for his abduction, and Assad’s affiliates have long refuted any claims of holding him.

‘Austin Tice is alive’

Over the years, the Tice family has tirelessly advocated for their son’s release across three different U.S. administrations.

Before the toppling of Assad—who is now reported by Russian news outlets to be in Moscow seeking political asylum—Debra Tice addressed the National Press Club in Washington on Friday.

Debra shared, “Today is filled with emotions. The news from the Middle East can be unsettling for a mother but what I want to convey is that a credible source, verified throughout our government, has assured us: Austin Tice is alive, and he is being treated well. There’s no doubt about it.” She did not specify the nature of the source.

On Sunday, the FBI renewed its efforts, including a $1 million reward offer, for any information leading to “Austin’s safe return.”

The Tice family hopes that the White Helmets, a Syrian civil defense group, can help; they announced on Monday that they would be sending “specialized emergency teams” to Saydnaya prison, known for its brutal conditions and where thousands are believed to be held in secret underground cells.

Survivors of Saydnaya prison recount harrowing tales of consistent torture, often broadcasted live for Assad’s intelligence officials. Reports indicate women childbirth under dreadful conditions within those walls, never having seen the outside world. Amnesty International has labeled Sednaya prison as a “human slaughterhouse,” built to inflict suffering, starvation, humiliation, and degradation.

The White Helmets released a statement on X, detailing that “the teams include search and rescue squads, specialists for breaking through walls, teams trained to open iron doors, canine units, and medical personnel.”

“These groups are well-prepared and equipped to handle such intricate operations.”

Marc Tice, Tice’s father, expressed confidence in his son’s abilities as well.

“Debby might disagree, but I believe he was faster in speech and movement, and possessed greater strength and intelligence than any other child ever,” Marc noted in a video he made ten years ago regarding his son’s situation.