Syrian authorities have released a U.S. citizen after a Lebanese mediation, Lebanese security officials told Reuters on July 26.
The security officials did not reveal the name of the released American, who was reportedly handed over to his family. However, they noted that he is not Austin Tice, a freelance journalist who went missing in Syrian in 2012.
“Lebanon has worked on mediating through General Abbas Ibrahim to release an American and he was handed over to his family already. The American is not Tice because it is not known where he is,” Reuters quoted one of the officials as saying.
Syrian sources identified the released American as Sam Goodwin. According to the sources, Goodwin was arrested in the northern Syrian city of Qamishli last May.
Sam Goodwin
Telegraph’s Middle East correspondent Josie Ensor didn’t confirm the identity of the released American. However, she confirmed that he was captured in northeastern Syria last May. The journalist claimed that he was a tourist “trying to check off every country in the world.”
Last April, U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs Robert O’Brien said that Washington could improve its relations with the Damascus government and restore public communications, if the Syrian authorities release missing Tice.
While the fate of Tice remains unknown, the release of Goodwin could help de-escalate the tension between Damascus and Washington.
