US army planes free American prisoner out of Syria

The US army has expelled an American citizen from Syria, simply days after he was freed following months of captivity through the chaotic remaining days of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Travis Timmerman, 29, was transferred to a US garrison in Syria, close to the borders with Iraq and Jordan. He’s at the moment reported to be in Jordan, the place he has met with officers from the US State Division.

He was found by local residents close to Damascus this week after being freed by gunmen with hammers.

Precisely how Mr. Timmerman arrived in Syria stays a thriller. The White Home says it had no prior indication he was in Syria or being held captive.

Two US authorities sources advised CBS, the BBC’s US associate, {that a} US army helicopter flew Mr Timmerman in another country after Syrian rebels from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group introduced him to the American forces within the city of Tanf.

He advised US officers he hoped to remain within the Center East somewhat than return to the US, in keeping with the AP information company.

It isn’t clear what Mr. Timmerman was doing in Syria.

Police in his residence state of Missouri in the US, in addition to these in Hungary, stated Mr Timmerman was reported lacking in Might, after being final seen in Budapest.

His dad and mom stated he went lacking in June.

Mr Timmerman advised US media he was on a non secular “pilgrimage” when he crossed into Syria from Lebanon.

He advised CBS he was handled nicely throughout his Syrian captivity. Talking to NBC Information, he stated his imprisonment was “a time of consolation, of meditation, and I’m stronger for it.”

Mr Timmerman’s household expressed shock that he was in Syria and stated they have been happy he was protected.

His cousin, Mandy Pendridge, advised CBS. “It’s exhausting to not suppose unfavourable ideas at the moment.

“We type of thought that will be the worst end result for us.”

Talking to CNN on Friday, his dad and mom stated they’d no thought how Mr Timmerman ended up in Syria, though his stepfather advised he wished to jot down a ebook in regards to the “outdated church buildings”.

His mom, Stacey Gardiner, stated she thought her son “appeared completely different” and had “been by means of loads.”

One other cousin, Miranda Collins, stated discovering him was the “finest Christmas current”.

“For seven months, all we knew was that he was lacking,” she stated. “We didn’t know if he was lifeless or alive.”

Mr. Timmerman’s flight from Jordan comes as U.S. officers and Syrian teams proceed their seek for Austin Tice, a contract American journalist captured close to Damascus in 2012 whereas overlaying the nation’s civil conflict.

He was final seen in a video, blindfolded and apparently in misery – posted on-line weeks after his seize. The USA believes he was detained by the Assad regime.

President Joe Biden stated that US believes Mr Tice is alivehowever its location stays unknown.