Biden to push for Austin Tice return as Assad flees Syria: ‘We think we can get him back’
President Joe Biden says his administration believes Austin Tice is alive and that the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria could present an opportunity to bring him home, more than 12 years after the missing journalist traveled there to cover Syria’s descent into war.
After nearly 13 years of grinding conflict, Assad and his government collapsed in less than 13 days, with rebel forces marching on the capital of Damascus. The collapse of the regime ends over 50 years of rule over Syria by the Assad family. Assad has reportedly fled to Moscow, granted asylum by Russia, according to Russian state media.
“We are mindful that there are Americans in Syria, including those who reside there, as well as Austin Tice, who was taken captive more than 12 years ago. We remain committed to returning him to his family,” Biden told reporters at the White House on Sunday, characterizing the moment in the Middle East as one of peril and opportunity.
“We believe he’s alive. We think we can get him back. But we have no direct evidence of that yet,” Biden added. “We have to identify where he is.”
U.S. officials have said they know with certainty that the Assad regime had been holding Tice, but that the U.S. government does not know his conditions or whereabouts.
READ MORE: Austin Tice’s family says long-missing journalist is alive as war resurges in Syria
Biden said in his statement that U.S. forces would remain in northern Syria, where they have been stationed for nearly a decade as part of an international coalition fighting Islamic State militants. But he said the administration would engage with all Syrian groups in an effort to build a better future for the Syrian people.
Tice’s family traveled to Washington this week to meet with senior Biden administration officials last week amid the rebel offensive, stating they had a new source confirming that Tice remains “alive and well.” The White House did directly respond to the family’s statement.
