US acknowledges direct talks with Syrian regime over imprisoned journalist

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US has held direct talks with the Syrian regime in an effort to secure the release of detained American journalist Austin Tice, the State Department announced on Monday.

Tice has been held in captivity in Syria for 10 years, and State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington has "directly engaged Syrian officials to seek to effect Austin's return home to his family."

Price declined to comment on the specifics of the US engagement, including at what levels the efforts have taken place, but said "we will pursue every opportunity to engage if we feel it has the potential to bring Austin home."

Tice was abducted near Damascus, Syria on Aug. 14, 2012 while covering the country’s civil war as a freelance journalist for multiple US news organizations. A decade later, he has yet to be released and returned to his hometown of Houston, Texas.

On Sept. 26, 2012, nearly six weeks after his abduction, a video emerged showing Tice blindfolded and detained by a group of unidentified armed men. To this day, however, no one has claimed responsibility for his capture.

US President Joe Biden said on Aug. 10 that the US knows "with certainty" that Tice "has been held by the Syrian regime."

"On the tenth anniversary of his abduction, I am calling on Syria to end this and help us bring him home. There is no higher priority in my Administration than the recovery and return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad," he said.