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The Syrian government has agreed to assist the United States in locating and returning missing American citizens, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack announced Sunday.
Diplomatic development comes as the U.S. seeks to recover Americans who disappeared in Syria, including journalist Austin Tice, aid worker Majd Kamalmaz, and Kayla Mueller, who was killed while held by Daesh.
"A powerful step forward. The new Syrian government has agreed to assist the U.S. in locating and returning USA citizens or their remains. The families of Austin Tice, Majd Kamalmaz, and Kayla Mueller must have closure," Barrack wrote on social media Sunday.
The announcement comes as the U.S. engages with Syria's transitional government following the end of Bashar al-Assad's rule. The cooperation agreement marks a notable shift in Syrian-American relations after years of limited diplomatic contact.
President Trump has prioritized the return of missing Americans abroad, according to Barrack. "President Trump has made it clear that bringing home USA citizens or honoring, with dignity, their remains is a major priority everywhere. The new Syrian government will aid us in this commitment," the ambassador stated.
Austin Tice, a freelance journalist and former Marine, disappeared near Damascus in 2012 while covering Syria's civil war. His case has remained one of the highest-profile disappearances of an American in Syria, with his family maintaining hope for his return despite the passage of more than a decade.
Majd Kamalmaz, a Syrian-American psychologist from Virginia, vanished at a government checkpoint in Damascus in 2017 during a humanitarian visit to the country. Kayla Mueller, an aid worker from Arizona, was captured by Daesh in 2013 and killed in 2015 while being held hostage.
Congressman Abraham Hamadeh has emerged as a prominent advocate for the families seeking answers.
"Congressman Abraham Hamadeh has consistently championed justice for Kayla Mueller. Honoring her legacy, he took his oath of office on her family's Bible. He and the Mueller family will finally find a cooperative Syrian government counterpart to bring truth and closure," Barrack said.
The congressman's personal connection to the Mueller case has intensified legislative efforts to pressure the administration for more aggressive action in securing information about missing Americans.
The families of the missing Americans have long pressed the U.S. government for more aggressive efforts to secure information about their loved ones' whereabouts.
Previous attempts to gather intelligence about their cases faced significant obstacles under Assad's government, which maintained limited cooperation with American officials.
The new Syrian government's willingness to assist represents the first major breakthrough in years for families who have advocated tirelessly for government action.
The agreement could provide access to detention records, witness accounts, and other critical information that was previously unavailable to U.S. investigators.
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