The U.S. government announced that it is discussing with Syria and others regarding a journalist who disappeared in Syria 11 years ago, and the possibility of returning is drawing attention.
According to foreign media such as CNN, US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln said in an interview hosted by the Washington Post (WP) on the 3rd (local time), “We are conducting extensive consultations with third countries in addition to Syria to find Austin Tice and bring him home. “I will not give up until the job is done,” he said.
However, Minister Blincoln kept quiet about the specific progress of the negotiations.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also reported on the same day, “The Biden administration has resumed direct communication with Syria to find out the whereabouts of Thais and other Americans who disappeared during the Syrian civil war.”
In fact, the US negotiator is said to have held several meetings with the Syrian government to find Tais. However, no significant progress has been reported so far.
Tais disappeared at the age of 31 in August 2012 while covering the Syrian civil war. After being discharged from the US Navy, he worked as a freelance reporter for The Washington Post (WP), CBS News, and McClatch.
Shortly after his disappearance, a video was released showing him being captured by a shaman group while blindfolded. However, it was never revealed where the abductee was or what he wanted. He said there was no ransom demand either.
After the video, Tais’ whereabouts are unknown. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) even offered a prize in 2018 to provide up to $1 million for information on Tyce, but it seems that there was no significant result.
US President Joe Biden demanded his release last year, saying, “The US government believes that Tais is being held by the Syrian regime.” However, the Syrian government denies this, saying it is not detaining Tais.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.