Lebanon – El Nashra, January 16, 2025
Nizar Zakka, the head of Hostage Aid Worldwide, visited the Presidential Palace, accompanied by Debra Tice, the mother of Austin Tice, an American journalist missing in Syria. President Aoun received them and listened to the latest information regarding Austin Tice’s disappearance, with reports suggesting he is still alive.
Mrs. Tice requested that Lebanon make efforts to uncover the fate of her son, as part of the country’s ongoing efforts to determine the fate of missing Lebanese citizens in Syria. She expressed hope that these efforts would lead to a happy resolution for the families of the missing.
President Aoun praised Mrs. Tice for her determination to find her son and her resilience in overcoming the challenges she has faced for over 12 years in pursuing this case. He emphasized that she shares this resolve with the families of the Lebanese missing persons who are still determined to know the fate of their loved ones.
The President expressed his sympathy for Mrs. Tice and promised to make every effort to uncover the fate of all missing persons. He noted that Lebanon has already taken practical steps in this regard.
After the meeting, Mr. Zakka spoke, confirming that Hostage Aid Worldwide, which has been working on Austin Tice’s case, had requested an appointment with the President. He said the meeting was arranged promptly. Zakka and Mrs. Tice are scheduled to visit Syria to meet with Syrian leadership and obtain new information. “We have reached an advanced stage and hope to achieve tangible results from our efforts by next Monday, God willing,” Zakka said. “I thank the President for his warm reception and responsiveness. We also discussed the Lebanese missing persons and how we can resolve this issue so that families know the fate of their children. We will cooperate with the Lebanese state and the President, who confirmed his support in uncovering the fate of all missing Lebanese in Syria.”
In response to a question, Zakka explained that since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the organization has been focusing its efforts on Damascus to search for hostages. “We have gathered a lot of information and have some results indicating that Austin Tice is alive and may be in a safe house under guard in Syria.” He thanked the Lebanese President for the state’s support for this cause and similar cases.
Zakka also confirmed, in response to another question, that the organization had not found any Lebanese or foreign missing persons. “If we find DNA evidence, it will be easy. If not, we will continue searching to determine the fate of the missing.”
