The U.S. official in charge of hostage negotiations has been sent to the Middle East to try and secure the release of missing reporter Austin Tice.
Roger Carstens, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, is in Lebanon as part of an effort to find Tice and bring him home.
The former U.S. Marine and freelance journalist disappeared in August 2012 while covering the Syrian civil war for various news outlets. Last week, his family visited the White House, saying they have information that shows Tice is alive.
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The fall of Bashar al-Assad may offer a new opportunity to locate Tice.
The Syrian Civil Defense, a rescue group known as the "White Helmets," says it has ended a search of the notorious Sednaya Prison in Damascus. It's where the Assad regime held thousands of political prisoners in deplorable conditions.
Tice was not found at the prison, so it's still unclear where he may be.
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A U.S. State Department spokesperson would not elaborate on whether Carstens would be traveling into Syria in the search for Tice. However, he noted that "everything possible" is done to bring home Americans who are unjustly detained.
"Roger is in Beirut to talk with people in the region, to talk with parties in the region, to collect information, and to try to find out where Austin Tice is and get him home as soon as possible," said Matthew Miller, U.S. State Department spokesman. "The president has emphasized that is a priority, Secretary Blinken has emphasized it is a priority, and Roger is there to carry out that important work."
