Washington D.C. – January 14, 2025 – In our relentless commitment to finding Austin Tice, Hostage Aid Worldwide remains actively engaged in Damascus, pursuing leads and following up on critical intel. Over the past week, the Hostage Aid team in Damascus has continued its investigation of multiple sites, including the General Intelligence Directorate, Section 40, also known as the Khatib Branch; the Political Intelligence Directorate, Madina Branch; and the office of Ali Mamlouk at the National Security Headquarters; and the office of Jamil Hassan at the Air Force Intelligence Headquarters.

During these inspections, the team uncovered a multitude of files and documents that could potentially hold crucial clues in the search for Austin and other foreign detainees. Despite going through some of these files, many of these documents remain unexamined due to the lack of appropriate resources and filing systems.

The search process has been fraught with challenges as access to specific sites and locations has been more difficult to gain. In order for the Hostage Aid team to more effectively continue its work on the ground and follow up on leads regarding the whereabouts of Austin, we call upon the U.S. government to provide the necessary support in facilitating access and securing cooperation from all relevant parties, including HTS.

We urge the U.S. government to take decisive and immediate action to ensure our access into key sites and pave the way for our continued progress.

Support is now more critical than ever. The stakes are too high, and the time to act is now. Hostage Aid Worldwide remains determined to leave no stone unturned in the case of Austin Tice and other foreign hostages detained in Syria.