13-Year mystery ends: Remains of journalist Austin Tice found in Syria

Shafaq News/ The body of American journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared in Syria nearly 13 years ago, was found in a mass grave, media outlets reported on Sunday.

According to The Mirror, the remains were recovered in the Dabiq area of northern Aleppo, in a site believed to contain victims of the Islamic State group. The discovery followed an operation led by a Qatari search-and-rescue team, which began on Wednesday in northern Syria to locate the remains of American hostages killed by ISIS.

Tice, a freelance reporter and photographer, was abducted in August 2012 while covering the conflict near Damascus. At the time, he was working with several major outlets, including CBS News, Agence France-Presse, and The Washington Post.

Weeks after his disappearance, a video emerged showing Tice blindfolded and held by armed men. No group claimed responsibility.

The Syrian government has repeatedly denied holding him. The United States had maintained that Tice was still alive, offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his safe return.