The family of a US journalist who was captured in Syria more than a decade ago has said they are “incredibly hopeful” he will be returned.
Austin Tice was just 31 years old when he was captured close to Damascus in August 2012, while covering the Syrian civil war. It is believed he was taken by the Syrian government.
The complexity of the situation in Syria had made it difficult to know who had captured him or where he was being held, but after rebels ousted the Assad regime last week, the family had renewed hopes the journalist could be recovered.
Those hopes were further improved when Mr Tice’s sister Abigail Edaburn said recently the family had received proof of life from trusted sources. US president Joe Biden also said after the Assad regime was ousted that his administration believes Mr Tice was still alive.
In an interview published earlier this week, the journalist’s brother Jacob Tice told Sky News: “We know that every effort is being extended right now to search for him throughout Syria, throughout Damascus.
"We know that there are people on the ground who love Austin. There are people who are committed to his return, and they are working tirelessly right now to bring him home.
"That gives us tremendous hope, tremendous optimism. And again, we implore anybody there who is listening, anybody who hears this to help bring Austin back to us, to help reunite him with his family.”
Over the weekend, the FBI said a US $1 million (£782,000) reward was still on offer for information leading to Mr Tice’s “safe location, recovery and return”.
Speaking later at the White House, Mr Biden said his administration believed Mr Tice was alive but that they were still trying to pinpoint his location.
At least 715 journalists were killed in Syria during the more than a decade of covering the civil war, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights.
Reporters Without Borders says 23 journalists detained by the Assad regime are still believed to be behind bars, including seven victims of enforced disappearances. More than 180 were killed while reporting from Syria, they claim.
While it is hoped the toppling of Bashar Al-Assad regime will bring greater stability in Syria after 13 years of civil war, the situation remains in the balance as a transition government carries the country through the new year.
Mr Tice, who is from Houston, was taken from a checkpoint in a contested area west of Damascus in August 2012. His work had been published by the Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and other outlets.
He soon appeared blindfolded in a video, surrounded by armed captors. The US ultimately concluded that the Syrian government had taken him, though the regime has always denied this accusation and efforts to negotiate his release have been rebuffed.
It is believed Mr Tice was initially taken to a prison in Damascus where he was seen by a doctor. Attempts, since, to contact that doctor have been unsuccessful.
US officials and people familiar with Mr Tice’s case later said he had managed to escape for about a week but was recaptured.
Multiple meetings between top-level Syrian officials and consecutive US administrations under Donald Trump and Joe Biden have failed to secure Mr Tice’s release.
