Syria denies it is holding American journalist Austin Tice

By ALBERT AJI and BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria has denied it is holding U.S. journalist Austin Tice or other Americans, a week after President Joe Biden accused the Syrian government of holding him. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that Damascus “denies it had kidnapped or is holding any American citizen” in its territories. Biden’s comments last week came in a statement released by the White House to mark the 10th anniversary of Tice’s abduction, which took place when he was in Syria covering its conflict. The remarks were the clearest indication so far that the U.S. is certain Tice is being held by the government of President Bashar Assad.