In a significant development, Debra Tice, the mother of missing American journalist Austin Tice, made her first trip to Syria in nearly ten years on Monday. During her visit, she expressed optimism regarding the support from the administration of President-elect Donald Trump in efforts to locate her son, who vanished in 2012.

Speaking at a press conference in Damascus, her remarks followed the recent political upheaval that saw President Bashar Assad’s regime being challenged. Despite her hopeful stance, Tice did not provide any new information regarding the search for her son.

Austin Tice was last seen near the Syrian capital in 2012, with the only indication of his fate being a video that surfaced weeks later, depicting him blindfolded and in the custody of armed individuals. Since the onset of the civil war in Syria in 2011, tens of thousands of individuals are thought to be missing.

In December, departing U.S. President Joe Biden conveyed to reporters that he had confidence in Washington’s capability to secure Tice’s return, although he acknowledged the lack of direct evidence confirming Tice’s safety.

Debra Tice shared her hopes that the Trump administration would actively pursue her son’s return, noting that their team had already reached out to her, a change from the previous four years of silence from U.S. officials. She mentioned having received information from an unnamed source suggesting her son is alive and well, bolstering her conviction regarding his current status.

During her visit, she conveyed a heartfelt message to her son, expressing her love and resilience in the search for him. “If you can somehow hear this, Austin, I love you. I know you’re not giving up, and neither am I,” she declared passionately.

Additionally, Tice recounted a productive dialogue with Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Syria’s newly formed administration, who she described as focused and committed to finding Austin and others who have gone missing. Her visit also included stops at two military intelligence facilities infamous for their practices of mass detention and torture, which she characterized as an “unbelievably, horrible nightmare.”

Austin Tice, a journalist originally from Houston, has contributed to several reputable media outlets, including The Washington Post and McClatchy newspapers. His ongoing absence continues to raise concerns as efforts to resolve the situation persist amidst the complex backdrop of the Syrian conflict.