A U.S. delegation has arrived in Damascus, Syria, marking the first visit in over a decade. The main objective of this trip is to gather information on American citizens who went missing under the Assad regime.
Leading the group is Roger Carstens, the U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, along with Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf and NEA Senior Adviser Daniel Rubinstein, who has extensive experience in foreign relations.
During their stay, the officials will engage with the Syrian people, including civil society members and community activists, to understand their aspirations for the country after the recent developments following the fall of the Assad regime. They also aim to find out how the U.S. can offer support as Syrians navigate this new chapter.
The team will discuss the situation with representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., in hopes of outlining transition principles agreed upon by U.S. and regional allies in recent meetings.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously emphasized that the international community supports a political transition in Syria led by the Syrian people themselves. He noted the importance of creating a government that represents all Syrians.
Another key focus of the visit is to uncover the fate of U.S. citizens missing since the Assad regime took control, particularly Austin Tice, a former Marine and journalist who was abducted in 2012. The U.S. government has set a reward of up to $10 million for credible information about Tice’s whereabouts.
The FBI has also renewed its efforts to locate Tice, urging anyone with information to step forward.
