A recently surfaced Syrian general has reportedly told U.S. authorities that missing journalist Austin Tice is deceased and has identified a potential burial site.
New Revelations in Austin Tice Case: Syrian General Claims Journalist is Deceased
New Revelations in Austin Tice Case: Syrian General Claims Journalist is Deceased
A former Syrian general's claims about missing journalist Austin Tice renews hope and adds complexity to the ongoing investigation.
June 15, 2025, sees significant new developments in the case of Austin Tice, an American journalist and former Marine, who has been missing in Syria since 2012. Bassam Hassan, a former top military commander under the regime of Bashar al-Assad, emerged in Lebanon and provided shocking news to U.S. officials: Tice is allegedly dead. During discussions with the FBI and CIA, Hassan claimed that orders for Tice's execution were issued by al-Assad himself, who was deposed last December after a long-standing rule.
Hassan, who has been associated with atrocities in Syria, named a specific location he believes could be the site of Tice's grave. While his statements have yet to be independently verified, they offer a glimmer of hope for Tice's family and friends, as well as U.S. authorities who have pursued the case for years. The American government has long sought information on Tice's fate, believing he may have endured the dire conditions often found in Syrian prisons.
This new information follows a decade of uncertainty surrounding Tice's whereabouts since he went missing at a checkpoint in Damascus. With the recent collapse of Assad's regime, there’s renewed interest in investigating the case further. Sources, including current and former officials familiar with the scenario, have indicated that Hassan's role in Tice's imprisonment was significant, and his insights might yield critical information that could extend beyond Tice’s case.
The Biden administration has previously sought to leverage information from insurgent groups that succeeded in overthrowing Assad, indicating the high stakes of the case not just for Tice's family but also for U.S. interests in the region. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities navigate the complexities of this situation amid changing political dynamics in Syria.
Hassan, who has been associated with atrocities in Syria, named a specific location he believes could be the site of Tice's grave. While his statements have yet to be independently verified, they offer a glimmer of hope for Tice's family and friends, as well as U.S. authorities who have pursued the case for years. The American government has long sought information on Tice's fate, believing he may have endured the dire conditions often found in Syrian prisons.
This new information follows a decade of uncertainty surrounding Tice's whereabouts since he went missing at a checkpoint in Damascus. With the recent collapse of Assad's regime, there’s renewed interest in investigating the case further. Sources, including current and former officials familiar with the scenario, have indicated that Hassan's role in Tice's imprisonment was significant, and his insights might yield critical information that could extend beyond Tice’s case.
The Biden administration has previously sought to leverage information from insurgent groups that succeeded in overthrowing Assad, indicating the high stakes of the case not just for Tice's family but also for U.S. interests in the region. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities navigate the complexities of this situation amid changing political dynamics in Syria.
