State Dept Believes US Journalist Who Went Missing in Syria Still Alive - Spokesperson

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The United States believes that American freelance journalist Austin Tice is still alive after going missing in Syria six years ago, and US officials are working to bring him home, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters on Tuesday.

�We believe him to be alive,� Nauert said. �We remain deeply concerned about his well-being, and we are actively working to bring Austin Tice home.�

Nauert said the State Department would not comment further on the situation, despite public interest in learning more about Tice's current location and captors.

�I appreciate your curiosity about that, but that is not something that we will get into out of not only consideration for the family but his own safety and security,� Nauert explained.

�We hope that we will have a positive conclusion to his case at some point soon.�

An award-winning journalist and Marine Corps veteran, Tice entered Syria illegally from Turkey in May 2012 and was abducted in August 2012.

Tice was working for the McClatchy publishing company when he disappeared in Syria while covering the civil war there. He was last seen in a video, blindfolded and held by armed men, although their affiliation is not known.