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A man from Missouri who had been reported missing for months has been found alive in Syria after being freed from a Syrian prison.
Some shit you should know before you read: Earlier this year, a Missouri man named Travis Timmerman was reported missing after traveling abroad. Timmerman had initially planned a trip to Prague and Hungary, telling his family he wanted to explore his faith and write. His family last heard from him in late May 2024 through occasional emails and phone calls, but contact abruptly stopped, raising concerns that his laptop and cellphone had been stolen. A missing persons report was filed in Missouri and Hungary, where Hungarian police last placed him at a church in Budapest in early June.
What’s going on now: Shortly after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, Timmerman was discovered on the outskirts of Damascus. He had been detained for months after crossing the Lebanon-Syria border on foot during what he described as a Christian pilgrimage to Damascus. Timmerman entered Syria without authorization and was ultimately apprehended by authorities shortly after his arrival. His release came when rebel forces stormed prisons across the country during the regime’s fall, freeing numerous detainees.
During his imprisonment, Timmerman reported being treated humanely, with consistent access to food and water. However, he faced challenges such as restricted bathroom access, limited to three times a day. He described his time in detention as mana
This all comes as the search for another Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing in Syria 12 years ago, continues to gain attention. While speaking to reporters earlier today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US government was committed to locating Tice and bringing him home. He also noted that they have reason to believe he is alive. Syria’s new transitional government has said they’re willing to cooperate with the US in the search for missing Americans, including Tice.
