The enigmatic case of an American journalist who vanished in Syria’s conflict zone 13 years ago seems to have reached a resolution. Austin Tice, a former Marine aged 31 at that time, was abducted on August 13, 2012, while covering events in the Middle East. Despite setbacks under various administrations, his family remained determined in their efforts to bring him home. Although ex-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad consistently evaded questions regarding Tice’s situation, the fall of his oppressive regime has unearthed new insights into the journalist’s fate.

According to Bassam Al-Hassan, a general once closely aligned with Assad, Tice was reportedly killed in 2013. CNN’s investigative team managed to locate Al-Hassan in September, engaging him in a 20-minute conversation where he stated on video, “Of course, Austin is dead. Austin is dead,” filmed using hidden cameras by the team. Despite his claims, Al-Hassan’s failure in a lie detector test leaves his statement open to doubt. The general alleged that the directive for Tice’s killing originated from Assad himself.

Additional reports from CNN indicate that numerous sources with direct knowledge of Tice’s capture have pointed out inconsistencies in Al-Hassan’s account. While these sources suggest Tice was indeed killed, conclusive evidence remains absent. At 31, Tice was seized in Damascus during coverage of the uprising against Assad, whose 24-year rule ended with a rebel overthrow. A former Marine with aspirations in journalism, Tice was fervently committed to aiding others and making a difference.

He traveled to the war zone county because he wanted to bring awareness to the on-going conflict in Syria. ‘There was no talking him out of this,’ Tice’s family friend told CNN. ‘He wanted to tell their story. Because he felt like nobody else was there.’ Tice was relentless and freelanced for several well-known publications, including McClatchy, The Washington Post and CBS News. His past editors told CNN that he was a ‘natural’ and ‘didn’t struggle to write a news story at all.’

The US journalist was convinced the corrupt Syrian regime was going to fall, and needed to see it for himself. Tice posted his last tweet on August 12, and days later, he was captured. The last footage of Tice was in 2012, a shaky video showed him blindfolded and reciting a prayer in Arabic, surrounded by jihadi militants that the US later concluded was staged by Assad loyal forces.

Assad’s regime collapsed 12 years later, in December 2024, but many questions about his whether Tice is alive or not remain unanswered. Tice’s mother, Debra, has been relentless in her search and advocacy for her missing son. She wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin – along with several other global leaders- who gave the former Syrian ruler sanctuary after he fled.

Putin released a public response at his end-of-the-year conference, saying he would talk to Assad about her son’s location. Little information has surfaced, but this remarkable development could point to answers for Tice’s family. ‘Austin Tice is alive. We look forward to seeing him walk free,’ the Tice said to CNN in a statement.