Senators urge Biden to update them on work to bring Austin Tice back from Syria

Efforts to connect U.S. officials with on the ground sources who may have information on where Tice is have been renewed. 

Sullivan mentioned during an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday that the United States is collaborating with allies in Turkey by using indirect means of communication with individuals in Syria who might possess details about the specific prison where Tice was held. The State Department also verified that Roger Carstens, the envoy for hostage affairs, has been employing a comparable strategy to establish connections in Beirut.

The fall of the Assad regime on Sunday brought renewed hope for the return of Tice, who is still assessed to be alive despite his 2012 capture in Damascus and unknown condition, as rebel groups in recent days have begun freeing men, women and children held in Syria’s notoriously deplorable prisons.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) arrives to a luncheon with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 7, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“Congress is committed and more than willing to work with you to return him to his loving family. We encourage your administration to utilize all available means to further discourage the hostage taking of American citizens,” it added.