Saudi Arabia – Al Arabiya, January 22, 2025
American journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped near Damascus in 2012, became the focus of a large-scale search after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024.
After her meeting with the leader of the transitional administration in Syria on Sunday, the journalist’s mother, Debra Tice, told Al-Arabiya on Tuesday that the meeting with Ahmed Al-Shara “exceeded our expectations.”
She also confirmed that Al- Sharaa seemed determined to “find my son.”
She stressed that US President Donald Trump has vowed to return Austin as soon as possible and “I completely trust him.”
“Committed and determined”
The day after her meeting in Damascus, Debra Tice said at a press conference on Monday that “it was great to know that the new Syrian leadership is committed and determined to bring my son back home.”
During the conference she held alongside the president of “Hostage Aid Worldwide”, Nizar Zakka, she expressed her hope that “the Trump administration will be very committed to working to bring Austin home.”
She added that “his team has already contacted me. I’m very excited to support and engage with them, and I think they’ll be quick on that.”
