American journalist missing in Syria managed to escape from prison in 2013

Tice is now the focus of a huge search following the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad this week after 13 years of civil war. Since then, rebels led by the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have freed thousands of people from Damascus prisons, where Assad held political opponents, ordinary civilians and foreigners.

The North American has not yet been found. There is no reliable evidence of his whereabouts, but there is also no clear evidence that he is dead, according to a US official.

U.S. officials say Tice’s 2013 escape from prison, where he was believed to be held by a pro-government militia, is the strongest evidence the U.S. government has to suggest that forces loyal to Assad arrested Tice. This has allowed US officials over the years to pressure the Assad government directly on the issue.

The White House declined to provide comment for this story. The CIA, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and FBI did not initially respond to requests for comment.

When Tice fled, he was seen wandering the street by people who lived in the Mazzeh neighborhood. He entered the home of a well-known Syrian family, whose name is not being released for security reasons, said a person with knowledge of the escape. Tice was recaptured shortly after his escape, according to a current and former U.S. official.

US authorities believe it is likely that Tice was taken after his escape by forces reporting directly to Assad. A person with knowledge of the escape said Tice may have been passed around among various government intelligence agencies in the years that followed.