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American Released from Syrian Prison as Assad’s Regime Crumbles
Travis Timmerman, a 29-year-old American, has been rescued from a Syrian prison during a turbulent period following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. A U.S. defense official confirmed to CBS News that the U.S. military was involved in his extraction from the country.
Timmerman had been missing for approximately seven months after being apprehended in Syria’s infamous prison system. Following his release, he was transported to the Al Tanf U.S. military base before being flown out of Syria by helicopter, with reports indicating he was then taken to Jordan.
Mouaz Moustafa, director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a group based in Washington, D.C., played a pivotal role in facilitating Timmerman’s safe return. He shared a photograph of the handoff to U.S. forces, expressing gratitude for the collaborative effort.
“Pete Timmerman AKA Travis is safe and sound and back in American hands, thanks to the amazing team at @syrianetf for making this happen! Thank you to the new government in Damascus for helping us and escorting us safely to the Tanf Garrison. #Syria is free and so are the… pic.twitter.com/kB0O6384BZ
— Mouaz Moustafa (@SoccerMouaz) December 13, 2024
In an interview with CBS News senior foreign correspondent Elizabeth Palmer, Timmerman recounted the harrowing details of his release, noting that it occurred earlier in the week after rebels successfully overthrew Assad’s government. He described the moment when armed individuals forced their way into his prison cell, signaling the start of his journey to freedom.
“My door was busted down, it woke me up,” Timmerman recounted. “I thought the guards were still there, so I thought the warfare could have been more active than it ended up being. … Once we got out, there was no resistance, there was no real fighting.”
Initially traveling to Syria for spiritual reasons within the Christian faith, Timmerman indicated his imprisonment was not as brutal as it could have been. He was detained upon entering Syria without authorization after spending some time in Lebanon. “I was never beaten. The only really bad part was that I couldn’t go to the bathroom when I wanted to. I was only let out three times a day to go to the bathroom,” he stated.
After leaving the prison with a larger group, Timmerman described the experience of walking away to safety. His family expressed immense relief upon hearing that he was safe. “It’s hard not to think of negative thoughts at that time. We were kind of thinking it was going to be the worst outcome for us,” noted his cousin, Mandy Pentridge.
Hailing from Urbana, Missouri, located approximately 50 miles north of Springfield, Timmerman graduated with a finance degree from Missouri State University in 2017. His family and friends now celebrate his return and are grateful for the efforts made to secure his freedom.
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