American Man, Travis Timmerman, Found in Syria After Mysterious Prison Release

Travis Timmerman, an American from Missouri who claimed to have been released from a prison earlier in the week following the overthrow of longstanding ruler Bashar al-Assad by a stunning rebel attack, was discovered in Syria on Thursday. After leaving the prison where he had been detained for more than six months, Timmerman informed Elizabeth Palmer, senior international correspondent for CBS News, that he had been attempting to leave the country on his own. He claimed that after spending a month in nearby Lebanon, he was arrested seven months ago for illegally entering Syria.

In a brief statement to media in Aqaba, Jordan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Timmerman’s discovery. “In terms of an American citizen who was found just today, I can’t give you any details on exactly what’s going to happen except to say that we’re working to bring them home, to bring them out of Syria and to bring them home,” Blinken stated. “But for privacy reasons, I can’t share any more detail than that at this point.”

In the past, a U.S. official told CBS News that the government was aware of the claims that an American had been discovered outside of Damascus and that it was looking to offer assistance. However, the official declined to elaborate further, citing his right to privacy. Timmerman claimed that on Monday, two men brandishing AK-47s used a hammer to smash open his jail door. “I woke up when my door was broken,” Timmerman remarked. “I assumed that the fighting might have been more intense than it actually was since I believed that the guards were still present. There wasn’t any opposition or actual combat after we left.

Christian “spiritual purposes” were the reason Timmerman traveled to Syria, and he claimed that his time behind bars “wasn’t too bad.” “I never got beat up. The fact that I couldn’t use the restroom when I wanted to was the only really awful aspect. He said, “I was only allowed to go to the restroom three times a day. Timmerman claimed to have walked out of the prison with a sizable gang. He claimed to have been attempting to move in Jordan’s direction. He claimed that after he left the prison, he “had a few moments of fear” and didn’t fully comprehend his freedom. “I haven’t given that much thought yet. Since then, I’ve been more concerned with finding a place to sleep every night,” he said to CBS News. “So I’ve been working, really.”

Timmerman claimed that during his journey, he had not been scared to approach individuals and ask for assistance or a place to stay the night. Timmerman stated, “They were coming to me, mostly,” and mentioned that he had communicated with his family three weeks prior using a phone he had while incarcerated. He claimed to have been given permission to use it. “I feel good. I’m feeling well because I’ve been fed and watered,” Timmerman remarked.

According to a missing person’s bulletin issued by Hungarian police in August, Timmerman was identified as “Travis Pete Timmerman” and was last seen visiting a church in the nation. Timmerman, whose first name was recorded as Pete, was last seen in Budapest, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol missing person’s bulletin. According to the bulletin, he was 29 years old when he vanished and his last communication occurred on June 2, 2024.