Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A group of American officials is here The capital of Syria for the first time in more than 10 years, seeking information on American citizens who have disappeared under the Assad regime, among other things.
The team visiting Damascus consists of US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs (NEA) Barbara Leaf and NEA Senior Advisor Daniel Rubinstein, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Rubinstein, who previously served as the US special envoy for Syria and has decades of experience in foreign affairs, will lead the diplomatic engagement, a spokesman confirmed.
Its mission is to work with the Syrian people and key parties in the country. It is also seeking to coordinate with allies to advance the principles outlined at a meeting of world leaders in the Jordanian city of Aqaba earlier this month.
BIDEN SAYS THE US KNOWS ‘FOR SURE’ THAT AMERICAN JOURNALIST AUSTIN TICE IS HOLDING BY SYRIA
Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs (NEA) Barbara Leaf (left), US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens (center) and NEA Senior Advisor Daniel Rubinstein (right) are in Damascus, Syria for a diplomatic engagement, the state A spokesperson for the Ministry told Fox News Digital (Alex Wong/Getty Images; Mehmet Serkan afak/Anadolu via Getty Images; Gali Tibbon-Pool/Getty Images)
The trio will meet the Syrian people to reveal their vision for their country after the Assad regime fell earlier this month amid an ongoing civil war. They will also ask how the US can help them in their desired future.
“They will communicate directly with the Syrian people, including members of civil society, activists, members of various communities and other Syrian voices,” the spokesman said in part.
The three officials will also meet with the representatives Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), the US-designated terrorist group for a “transitional principles discussion” supported by the United States and regional partners in Aqaba, Jordan, the State Department said.
Abu Mohamed al-Jolani leads the US-designated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group that took over Syria after the fall of the Assad regime. (OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously noted that world leaders discussed the “need for an inclusive Syrian-led political transition” during meetings on Syria in Aqaba, Jordan on December 14.
“The United States supports a future government in Syria elected by representatives of all Syrians,” Blinken said on X.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on December 13 in Turkey to discuss bringing greater stability to Syria amid competing rebel factions. (Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Another goal of the visit is to determine what happened to American citizens who disappeared under the Assad regime, including former Marine turned freelance journalist Austin Tice, who kidnapped while reporting in Syria in 2012.
Carstens led the investigation to locate Tice and recently said Rewards for Justice is offering up to $10 million for information on his whereabouts.
The State Department’s Justice Reward Program is offering $10 million for information related to Austin Tice. (State Department Award for Justice)
“In light of recent events in Syria, the FBI is renewing our appeal for information that could lead to the safe location, recovery and return of Austin Bennett Tice, who was arrested in Damascus in August 2012,” the FBI said in a statement.
