Mother of Missing U.S. Journalist Asks Syria’s New Leaders for Help

The mother of Austin Tice, an American journalist abducted in Syria, said on Monday that she had met with Syria’s new leader in Damascus and expressed hope that “a page will be turned” in the more than decade-long search for her son.

Debra Tice gave a news conference in Damascus on Monday after the meeting with Ahmed al-Shara, whose rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham led the sudden offensive last month that toppled President Bashar al-Assad, ending more than 50 years of Assad family rule in Syria. Syria’s state news agency also reported on the meeting, posting pictures of her in conversation with Mr. al-Shara at the presidential palace.

Although she had no new information on her son’s whereabouts, Ms. Tice, who arrived in Damascus on Saturday, said she felt optimistic that Syria’s new rebel leaders would help her and Syrian families searching for loved ones still missing after being held in the old regime’s notorious prisons.

“It was so wonderful to learn that they are dedicated and determined to bring home my son and your sons,” Ms. Tice said, addressing Syrians searching for missing loved ones as well. “They know what we are going through.”

Ms. Tice said that as far as she knew, her son was still being held captive, but the turmoil since Mr. al-Assad’s ouster made it much more difficult to ascertain his whereabouts.

“It’s like starting all over again,” she said.