American "Pilgrim" Freed from Syrian Prison Flies out of Syria

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Travis Timmerman, an American citizen who had been imprisoned in Syria, has been flown to safety after his release by rebel forces earlier this week, a U.S. official confirmed on Friday. The official, speaking anonymously, stated that Timmerman had been transferred to Jordan, where he is now under the care of State Department officials.  

🚨 BREAKING: US citizen Pete Travis Timmerman freed by the Syrian rebels from Assad's prison near Damascus.
Travis went missing in Budapest, Hungary in June of this year. pic.twitter.com/bqTxz2FfYq

— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) December 12, 2024

 

Timmerman was photographed standing alongside members of Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a prominent rebel group in Syria, as well as U.S. soldiers stationed in the region. HTS, which has played a pivotal role in opposing the regime of Bashar al-Assad, reportedly facilitated his release.  

 

The American’s disappearance had been a source of distress for his family. His parents revealed that he went missing in June, leaving them with no information about his whereabouts for months. His release came shortly after Syrian rebels overthrew Assad's control in parts of the country, leading to a reshuffling of local power dynamics.  

 

In a statement to the media, Timmerman identified himself and dispelled initial rumors on social media suggesting he might be Austin Tice, an American journalist who disappeared in Syria in 2012. Instead, Timmerman shared that he had been held in Syria for seven months after crossing into the country illegally from Lebanon. Referring to himself as a "pilgrim," he explained his detention and eventual release during an interview with CBS News.  

 

"I was trying to find my way out after being released from prison earlier this week," Timmerman said, describing his ordeal. His physical condition reflected his difficult experience: pale and bearing a long, unkempt beard. A video posted on Thursday showed him being introduced in Arabic as an American, marking the first visual confirmation of his identity since his disappearance.  

 

The White House has indicated that it had no prior knowledge of Timmerman's presence in Syria. His unexpected reemergence underscores the ongoing complexities of the Syrian conflict and the challenges of accounting for foreign nationals in the war-torn region. For now, Timmerman’s safe transfer to Jordan represents a rare moment of relief amid a backdrop of uncertainty.  

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph 2024-12-14