American journalist Austin Tice is alive, his mother says

American journalist Austin Tice is alive, his mother said on Friday, citing a source vetted by the US government.

“We have from a significant source that has been vetted all over our government: Austin Tice is alive. Austin Tice is being treated well, and there is no doubt about that,” Debra Tice said in remarks at the National Press Club.

Tice was kidnapped in Syria in 2012 at a checkpoint in Damascus.

A video released a month later showed him blindfolded and held by armed men, saying, “Oh, Jesus.” He has not been heard from since.

Tice is from Houston and his work had been published by The Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and other outlets. He went to Syria to cover the conflict that started in 2011.