US Flies American Freed from Syrian Prison to Jordan

The U.S. military has successfully extracted an American citizen, Travis Timmerman, from Syria, where he had been held in the infamous prison system of former President Bashar Assad. Timmerman, 29, had been missing for seven months before being among the thousands released by rebels earlier this week.

Timmerman was transported to Jordan via a U.S. military helicopter, according to U.S. officials. While his next destination remains uncertain, Timmerman has expressed a desire to remain in the region. He had been detained in Syria after crossing the border during a Christian pilgrimage from Zahle, Lebanon, in June.

During his imprisonment at the Palestine Branch, a well-known detention facility managed by Syrian intelligence, Timmerman reported not being mistreated. He described his cell as having basic amenities such as a mattress and containers for drinking water and waste. He used the Friday prayer calls to keep track of the days.

Timmerman was released on Monday alongside a young Syrian man and 70 women, some of whom were accompanied by their children, following the rebels’ seizure of Damascus and the ousting of Assad. He was freed by rebels who broke into his cell with a hammer. He mentioned that he was held separately from other Syrian and Arab detainees and was unaware of any other Americans in the facility.

Timmerman hails from Urbana, Missouri, and graduated with a finance degree from Missouri State University in 2017. His mother, Stacey Gardiner, received information that he was being taken to a military base in Jordan, but the family had not yet communicated with him.

Mouaz Moustafa, a Syrian opposition activist based in the U.S., played a key role in coordinating Timmerman’s transfer to safety. He tweeted a photo of Timmerman with a U.S. military personnel in the desert, confirming his safety.

U.S. officials continue to search for Austin Tice, an American journalist who disappeared near Damascus 12 years ago. Nizar Zakka, president of Hostage Aid Worldwide, which is involved in the search for Tice, received a tip about a foreigner believed to be Tice, but this was later ruled out by Tice’s family.

Zakka noted that the search for Tice involved visiting detention centers and contacting influential figures within Assad’s circle, but no concrete results have emerged. He outlined three scenarios for Tice’s whereabouts: he could be in a Damascus jail, held by a high-ranking Assad loyalist who fled the country, or he might have been killed by his captors to cover up their crimes.

Zakka also criticized the U.S. government’s offer of a $10 million reward for information on Tice, arguing it has led to many false tips and added confusion.