Debra Tice has spent greater than 12 years looking for her son, Austin Tice, a Marine veteran and journalist who was kidnapped in Syria in August 2012. Via 4 presidential administrations, she has not misplaced hope that her son will come residence alive. In actual fact, she calls the brand new Trump administration a “breath of contemporary air.”
“They’re fascinated with what they should do, making recommendations, standing prepared, having concepts. The burden isn’t on me the best way it has been previously,” Tice advised Fox Information Digital, referring to the Trump administration.
The Marine veteran’s mom’s first journey again to Damascus, Syria, in over 10 years comes on the heels of a revolution throughout the war-torn nation. Debra Tice has been in Syra for just a few days, however has already managed to satisfy with the nation’s de facto chief, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the group that overthrew Bashar al-Assad.
“It was actually fairly a shock that we have been in a position to get a gathering with al-Sharaa. It was an excellent assembly,” Tice stated.
SYRIA RESCUE-MISSION OPERATOR BELIEVES AUSTIN TICE IS ALIVE AND WILL BE FOUND SOON
On this photograph launched by Syrian state information company SANA, Syria’s de facto chief Ahmad al-Sharaa, proper, meets with Debra Tice, the mom of American journalist Austin Tice, who went lacking in Syria in 2012, left, and Nizar Zakka, head of non-profit Hostage Help Worldwide, middle, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (SANA by way of AP)
Hostage Aid Worldwide, a non-profit group coordinating Tice’s go to to Syria, was in a position to take her inside a number of the prisons which have been deserted because the fall of Assad. She stated that seeing the circumstances in these prisons was “actually difficult,” however that she appreciated getting a way of “what Austin was up in opposition to.”
Tice additionally issued a problem to these within the US authorities who “really feel like Austin can wait” to go see the prisons for themselves.
“I believe in the event that they needed to come over right here – and I wouldn’t even ask them to spend the night time in a type of prisons – however I believe if that they had gone to see what he might have gone by means of, perhaps they might’ve been extra motivated to get Austin out of there.”
Debra Tice, mom of lacking U.S. journalist Austin Tice who disappeared whereas reporting in Syria in August 2012, attends a press convention as she urged President Donald Trump to assist reveal her son’s destiny in Damascus, Syria on Jan. 20, 2025. (Bekir Kasim/Anadolu by way of Getty Photographs)
Throughout a press conference on Monday, Tice supplied reward for the incoming Trump administration and confirmed that they “already reached out” relating to Austin’s case.
“I haven’t skilled that previously 4 years, however I’m optimistic about their assist and involvement. I imagine they’ll act rapidly,” Tice stated.
Tice additionally used the press convention to ship an emotional message to her lacking son.
“Austin, when you can hear this one way or the other, I like you. I do know you gained’t surrender, and I gained’t surrender both,” Tice stated.
Tice says she has “by no means had any doubt about the truth that Austin goes to stroll free. It’s a matter of time, and in my religion it’s God’s timing.
When talking about her hope and optimism about discovering her son, Tice credited her religion “100 per cent.” She added that, “if I didn’t have my religion, I simply suppose I might crumble right into a bunch of actually small items.”
COLLAPSE OF SYRIA’S ASSAD REGIME RENEWS US PUSH TO FIND AUSTIN TICE
The State Division’s Reward for Justice program is providing $10 million for data regarding finding Austin Tice. 12/9/2024 (The State Division’s Reward for Justice)
A State Division spokesperson advised Fox Information Digital that “intensive efforts are nonetheless underway to search out Austin Tice.” Moreover, the spokesperson stated that the division is “working to get US officers into Damascus” to assist within the search, however is ready for affirmation that the”circumstances are protected and native authorities can accommodate the go to.”
“We’ve used related data, in addition to declassified intelligence, to tell the search efforts of Syrian and worldwide companions on the bottom in Damascus who’re looking for Austin day by day,” the spokesperson added.
“They’ve visited and searched quite a few now-uncovered secret prisons, however thus far they haven’t discovered Austin or any further data that will assist us find him.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Final month, after receiving a letter from Debra Tice, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to ask Assad for assist discovering Austin. Nevertheless, as of now, there are not any indicators that this has occurred.
Source link