A video claiming that a journalist missing in Syria for 12 years has been found alive has gone viral - despite fears it may not be him.

Austin Tice was 31 at the time of his capture back in 2012, when he was covering the Syrian civil war. Now, after rebels stormed Damascus, forcing despot Bashar al-Assad to flee a video appearing to show a man with a resemblance to Mr Tice has circulated online.

This has not yet been confirmed by any official sources. It comes after his family said they were "incredibly hopeful" that he could safely return home following the fall of Assad's regime as the leader's prisons empty and the extent of alleged torture and war crimes is laid bare.

• Assad family flees Syria by plane as 50 years of tyrannical rule ends with rebel advance
• US journalist Austin Tice kidnapped in Syria more than 12 years ago confirmed alive by family

(

Image:

@KhalilJeries/X)

While footage claiming to show Austin is circulating widely online, it has not yet been confirmed as the missing journalist, and some are doubtful that it is him. Retweeting a copy of the video which said it showed an "American journalist" who was found by Syrian locals "disorented and barefoot", CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward said: "This is 100% not Austin Tice. I have no idea who it is but it is not Austin."

Amid speculation that the man shown in the video is not Austin Tice, NBC foreign correspondent Matt Bradley shared that he spoke to the man, who gave a different...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiwFBVV95cUxOZXFxQ2pDMDRLclRXbi1jZkd4...