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Aiming to free two US citizens believed to be detained in Syria, the Wall Street Journal reveals a US official’s visit to Damascus for secret meetings with the Syrian government.
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American journalist Austin Tice, missing in Syria since 2012.
The American “Wall Street Journal” reported late Sunday that a White House official recently made a secret visit to Damascus, where he held a meeting with the Syrian government.
According to members of the administration of President Donald Trump and other sources familiar with the progress of the talks, the newspaper claimed that Cash Patel, who is a prominent counterterrorism official in the White House, visited Damascus earlier this year. to hold secret meetings with the government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, to achieve the release of two US citizens who are considered detained by the country’s authorities.
A senior White House official flew to Damascus to discuss the release of American hostages believed to be being held in Syria, people familiar with the matter said https://t.co/CiSlPM8rXM
– The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 18, 2020
The source did not disclose to officials who knew Patil, but clarified that the talks were held with the aim of reaching an “agreement with Assad” that would lead to the release of independent American journalist Austin Tice, who previously served in the Marines and disappeared during their coverage of the events in Syria in 2012. And the Syrian American, Majid Kamalmaz as well.
The newspaper said in a report that this is the first visit by a senior US official to Syria in about 10 years.
He explained that the last known meetings between White House officials and Syrian authorities in Damascus took place in 2010, noting that the US government cut diplomatic relations with Syria in 2012.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump sent a special message to Assad in March offering a “direct dialogue” on Tice.
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