Remains of Missing American Journalist Austin Tice Reportedly Found in Northern Syria
Several television channels cited informed sources who said that a joint Qatari-American forensic team, in coordination with Syrian security forces, recovered the remains from the mass grave earlier this month and the remains were sent to America for DNA test.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – British daily The Mirror reported Sunday that the remains of missing American journalist Austin Tice—abducted in Syria in 2012—have been located in a mass grave in northern Syria, alongside two other individuals.
According to the newspaper, Tice was allegedly killed by members of the Islamic State (ISIS) near the town of Dabiq in Aleppo’s northern countryside, an area that saw intense militant activity in the early years of the Syrian conflict.
Multinational Forensic Team Reaches Breakthrough
Several television channels cited informed sources who said that a joint Qatari-American forensic team, in coordination with Syrian security forces, recovered the remains from the mass grave earlier this month and the remains were sent to America for DNA test. A former ISIS member reportedly led the multinational team to the burial site, identifying the location where Tice and others were interred.
The discovery marks a grim milestone in a case that has remained unsolved for over a decade. Tice, a freelance journalist who contributed to outlets including CBS News, AFP, and The Washington Post, disappeared in August 2012 near Damascus after being detained by pro-Assad loyalists. His fate remained unknown, and for years U.S. authorities treated his case as a possible hostage situation.
On Jan. 7, 2024, Austin’s mother, Debra Tice, told a press conference that her son was still alive, though she refrained from offering further details. "We must remain cautious about the information we engage with," she said. "Austin must be freed diplomatically—not with bombs or bullets."
Secret Diplomacy and Missed Opportunities
The revelation follows previously reported efforts by U.S. officials to negotiate with the Assad regime for Tice’s release. A French investigative report published by Le Figaro earlier this year revealed that former U.S. official Brett McGurk had presented Damascus with a confidential deal: locate and release Austin Tice in exchange for a U.S. military withdrawal from key oil fields in northeast Syria.
The offer, however, required Damascus to bar Iran-backed militias from operating in those territories and ensure the areas would not be used to stage attacks against American forces. Assad’s categorical refusal to engage in these talks, according to the report, played a decisive role in the collapse of diplomatic efforts and, ultimately, in his downfall.
Tice’s apparent death casts a long shadow over one of the most haunting cases of press freedom and enforced disappearance in the Syrian war. His recovery brings some measure of closure to a grieving family and to a U.S. government long searching for answers.
The U.S. State Department has not yet formally confirmed the discovery of Tice’s remains. Investigations and forensic verifications are expected to continue.
