On Wednesday, Republicans on the House Committee on Homeland Security advanced a number of bills to combat terrorism, strengthen security at the border, and counter the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts against America.
“I am proud of this Committee’s work to advance legislation that protects Americans from growing threats to our homeland and our way of life,” Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) stated. “For far too long, the CCP has tried to influence American higher education, target and harass dissidents on U.S. soil, and infiltrate our critical infrastructure and government networks. Today, this Committee stood up to China, advancing bills from Chairman Pfluger and Rep. Ogles to counter the real and growing threat they pose in our own backyard.”
“We also will not forget the serious threats sparked by the Biden-Harris administration’s historic border crisis. That’s why Committee Republicans advanced bills from Reps. [Marjorie Taylor] Greene and [Clay] Higgins to demand transparency on the number of Special Interest Aliens encountered at our borders and enhance efforts to detect deadly drugs like fentanyl at our land ports of entry,” he continued. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to swiftly pass these bills to increase transparency and give Custom (sic) and Border Protection (CBP) more enforcement tools.”
Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee Chairman Rep. August Pfluger’s (R-TX)  bill, H.R. 881, the “DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act,” would restrict DHS from funding American universities that host a Confucius Institute and require &#8220;certain disclosures related to Chinese entities of concern.&#8221;
Rep. Pfluger also introduced H.R. 2158, the “Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025,” which would establish a dedicated transnational repression working group with DHS, thus protecting Chinese and Iranian dissidents who voice criticism of their countries’ despotic governments.
Rep. Clay Higgins’ (R-LA) bill, H.R. 1569, the “CATCH Fentanyl Act,” would further empower CBP to test and evaluate new technologies for deployment at U.S. points of entry.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) bill, H.R. 275, the “Special Interest Alien Reporting Act of 2024,” would require DHS to publicly release information monthly on the number of special interest alien encounters.
Rep. Morgan Luttrell’s (R-TX) bill, H.R. 1327, the “Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act, would ensure the Department of Homeland Security conducts an assessment of terrorist threats the United States posed by individuals in Syria with an affiliation to a foreign terrorist organization or a specially designated global terrorist organization.
Rep. Andy Ogles’ (R-TN) bill, H.R. 2659, the “Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act,” would target the escalating cybersecurity threats from the Chinese Communist Party and its state-sponsored cyber actors. oil.”

Republican Lawmakers Hold News Conference On Mayorkas Impeachment

House GOP Committee Advances Bills To Protect Homeland

China

Chinese Communist Party

Communist China

Congress

House Committee on Homeland Security

Politics

Syria

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the new Syrian regime that it would “pay a heavy price” if it allowed forces hostile to the Jewish state to enter Syria.
“If you allow forces hostile to Israel to enter Syria and endanger Israel’s security interests, you will pay a heavy price,” Katz said following Israeli strikes on Syrian military infrastructure remaining from the Bashar Al-Assad regime. “Israel will not allow Syria to become a threat to its communities and security interests.” 
Katz, speaking to Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, said the strikes were a “warning for the future.”
“The IDF struck military capabilities that remained at the Syrian bases of Hama and T4, along with additional remaining military infrastructure sites in the area of Damascus in the past few hours,”  the IDF said in a Wednesday statement <a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1907521357333819550">posted</a> to X. “The IDF will continue to operate to remove any threat to Israeli civilians.”
The Hama airport was almost entirely destroyed, according to <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-848620">Syria’s Foreign Ministry.</a>
Syria condemned the attacks as an “unjustified escalation,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce92g5nk55eo">reported BBC</a>
Experts believe that Israel’s strikes were meant to convey a message to Turkey that Israel opposes it spreading its influence amid reports that Turkey was moving to put aircraft and air defenses at airbases in Syria.
In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4OXPx-LkiM">press conference</a> on Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa&#8217;ar accused Turkey of trying to make Syria into a Turkish “protectorate.”
“They play a negative role in Syria, they play a negative role in Lebanon &#8230; They have aspirations all over the region and other regions of the world,” Sa’ar said. “They are doing their utmost to have Syria as a Turkish protectorate. It’s clear that this is their intention.”
Sa’ar added that just as Israel opposed Iranian influence in Syria during the previous regime, it opposed Turkey filling the void.
“We don’t think it was good when Syria was an Iranian proxy, and we don’t think that Syria should be a Turkish protectorate,” he said.
Israel has had troops stationed in a buffer zone in recent months to protect any hostile actors in Syria from attacking the Jewish state.
Israel, which has a sizable Druze community with many members who serve in the Israeli Defense Forces, also <a href="https://www.jns.org/idf-prepares-to-defend-druze-suburb-of-damascus-against-syrian-regime/">vowed to protect</a> the Syrian Druze from any harm and has shipped humanitarian aid to Druze villages.
Last month, a group of Israeli Christians <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israeli-christians-call-for-world-leaders-to-protect-syrian-christians">gathered at Israel’s border</a> with Syria in the Golan Heights to demand that the European Union, Israel, and the United States protect Christians in Syria.

Netanyahu visits the peak of Hermon Mount in Syria

Israel Warns Syria Will ‘Pay A Heavy Price’ If Hostile Forces Are Allowed To Enter Country

Global Politics

Israel

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

World

A group of Christians gathered at Israel’s border with Syria in the Golan Heights over the weekend to demand that the European Union, Israel, and the United States protect Christians in Syria.
Shadi Khalloul, who helped organize the gathering, told The Daily Wire that he is concerned about his fellow Arameans Christians just across the border.
“We’ve heard stories of Christians in Syria killed by Jihadists or caught by Jihadists who tried to convert them to Islam by force,” Khalloul said. “One man preferred dying with his faith in Jesus Christ as his savior rather than submitting to Islam.”
Khalloul is part of Israel’s Christian Maronite <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cant-fool-me-arab-israeli-slams-rashida-tlaib-for-lies-about-from-the-river-to-the-sea-chant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aramaic community</a>, which believes it descends from Christ’s earliest followers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We at ICAA Israeli Christian Aramaic Association NGO rallied today at the Golan Heights at the Syrian &#8211; Israeli border demanding for the defense and protection of Christian and Aramaic communities in Syria. We demand from the USA, EU, and Israel to help our persecuted Christian… <a href="https://t.co/OKG1OhyOOj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/OKG1OhyOOj</a>
— Shadi khalloul שאדי ח&#8217;לול (@shadikhalloul) <a href="https://twitter.com/shadikhalloul/status/1900945124097466422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The World Council of Arameans <a href="https://wca-ngo.org/wca-news/press-releases/730-escalating-attacks-on-aramean-christians-in-syria-call-for-urgent-protection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Johnny Al Sayegh of Al Kharab was shot and killed by a sniper in a town on Syria&#8217;s coast on March 12. His fiancé, Rima Hadad, was severely injured and is in critical condition. Eyewitnesses allege the sniper belonged to Syria’s government security forces.
“The perpetrators must be visibly and swiftly brought to justice to ensure accountability and prevent further violence against Christians, Alawites, and other defenseless civilians,” the council wrote.
In another incident, the council said Elias Michel Asaad, who is also a Christian, was found dead last week after being kidnapped and robbed in Homs.
“His body was laid to rest in his home village of Al-Khansa, in the Valley of the Christians region of Homs Governorate.”
<a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/03/08/syria-turkey-backed-jihadists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the Greek City Times</a>, some Christians were recently killed, including two Antiochian Greeks, Tony Petrus and his son, Fadi.
In total, the World Council of Arameans claims at least a dozen unarmed Christians have been killed since the militants aligned with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/syrias-jihadist-president-calls-for-peace-as-his-forces-slaughter-political-and-ethnic-minorities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brutally slaughtered</a> hundreds of Alawite minorities on Syria’s coastal areas earlier this month.
Al-Sharaa called for “national unity and domestic peace” after the attacks and launched a “fact-finding committee” to hold the attackers responsible. Syrian authorities blamed the executions on unruly militias who came to help the security forces who were attacked by militants aligned with deposed former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
In addition to the murders, the World Council of Arameans says Christians have been looted and threatened since the clashes.
“Some of these Jihadis say it clear and loudly to Christians: that your turn will come after the Alawites,” Khalloul, who is the president and founder of the Israeli Christian Aramaic Association, said.
Khalloul said his group is demanding that the Christian and Aramaic communities in Syria be protected from persecution by Al-Sharaa and his aligned militants.
“We demand that the United States, European Union, and Israel help our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters across the border from the Islamic Jihadi regime,” Khaloul said. “We demand that other Christians in free societies help liberate Christian communities in Syria and Lebanon from Islamic Arab radicalism.”
“While here in Israel, we enjoy freedom to act, speak, and demonstrate, the Christians, on the other side, fear for their lives and are threatened to be ethnically cleansed,” Khalloul said. “We will always be a voice to protect our native Aramaic Christian communities in the Middle East.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Christian Israelis gathered at the Syrian border this weekend to call on the world to protect Christians in Syria.
Here’s a Christian Maronite Aramean praying for the safety of his brothers and sisters in Syria. <a href="https://t.co/LfrjjRvmOA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/LfrjjRvmOA</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1902380195782279632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
So far, Israel — which has a sizable Druze community with many members who serve in the Israeli Defense Forces — <a href="https://www.jns.org/idf-prepares-to-defend-druze-suburb-of-damascus-against-syrian-regime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed to protect</a> the Syrian Druze from any harm and has shipped humanitarian aid to Druze villages.
Khalloul said he believes there should be federal systems in both Syria and Lebanon that allow Christians and other minorities to have autonomy, rather than be under the rule of strong central governments that will oppress indigenous people such as the Druze, Alawites, Arameans, and Kurds.
By fighting to give Christians around the world autonomy, Khalloul said Europe and the United States can help forge a bridge for peace and moderation in a conflict-ridden region.
“Our Native Christian population has been facing persecution, oppression, Islamization and Arabization,” Khalloul said. “We ask to liberate the Christians and stop our people&#8217;s ethnic cleansing immediately.”
In a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-christian-israeli-who-mission-create-first-kassy-dillon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous interview</a> with The Daily Wire, Khalloul said it is his life mission to preserve his people’s culture while he was in a “Bible as English Literature” class at the University of Nevada. He said that during a class, the professor referred to Aramaic as a “dead” language, to which he responded that he and his family spoke Aramaic and that it was not dead. Since then, Khalloul returned to Israel and has worked to preserve the Aramaic culture and language.
In 2013, he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a meeting he said later led to a 2014 measure that allowed Christians in Israel to register as “Aramean” on their identity card instead of as Arabs.
According to Khalloul, there are 15,000 Israeli Christians praying in Aramaic in Israel, and the majority of them belong to the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch.

9608c93b-1a77-4f6f-92a9-139cb412d62a

Israeli Christians Call For World Leaders To Protect Syrian Christians

Christians

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a major integration agreement with the leader of the Kurdish forces in Syria on Monday, set to take place by the end of the year.
The agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will ensure “the rights of all Syrians in representation and participation in the political process and all state institutions based on competence, regardless of their religious and ethnic backgrounds,” according to Shaara.
Under the agreement, Syria&#8217;s Kurdish community — primarily in the east — will be officially recognized as part of the state, and citizenship will be granted to tens of thousands previously denied by Assad, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/middleeast/kurdish-syria-sdf-deal-intl-latam/index.html">according</a> to CNN. The agreement safeguards Kurdish rights, overturning Assad&#8217;s restrictions that banned the Kurdish language in schools and prohibited Kurdish holidays.
Kurdish institutions in northeastern Syria will be integrated into the Syrian state, and displaced Kurds will be allowed to return to their homes under state protection, under the agreement. The Kurds also agreed to support the Syrian state in combating any remnants of Assad&#8217;s regime and other threats to its security, <a href="https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/100320251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported Kurdish outlet Rudaw</a>.
The agreement comes after militants aligned with Shaara committed brutal revenge killings on members of the Alawite minority — a Shia-offshoot aligned with deposed former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad — who attacked the new regime’s security forces at checkpoints last week. <a href="https://www.syriahr.com/en/357483/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to</a> the United Kingdom-based watchdog, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least 973 civilians have been killed including women and children. An additional 300 members of government security forces and 148 Assad-aligned militants were reportedly killed in the clashes as well.
Shaara launched a “fact-finding committee” into the killings and called for “national unity and domestic peace” on Sunday during a speech broadcast from a mosque near his childhood neighborhood in Damascus.
Shaara has called for all armed factions, including the SDF, to integrate into the Syrian army after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-syrian-rebel-leader-mohammad-al-jolani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toppled Assad</a> with his U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), in December. Once affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Shaara had a $10 million <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07gv3j818ko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI bounty</a> for almost a decade before it was lifted in 2024.
The People’s Protection Units (YPG), a key U.S.-backed Kurdish faction in the SDF, requested that a special unit be created in the Syrian Army as a condition to joining, but Shaara rejected the demand, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/middleeast/kurdish-syria-sdf-deal-intl-latam/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN reported</a>.
Shaara signed the agreement with SDF General Commander Mazloum Abdi, <a href="https://x.com/MazloumAbdi/status/1899218509319565416" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who called</a> the agreement on X “a real opportunity to build a new Syria that embraces all its components and ensures good neighborliness.”
Crowds reportedly took to the streets of major cities in Syria to applaud the deal.
Bafel Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Iraq, called the deal an “important and positive step toward strengthening coexistence and partnership in the new Syria,” <a href="https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/110320251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported Rudaw</a>.
“As always, I fully support the efforts of my brother, Mazloum Abdi, to promote peace and stability in the region,” Talabani added.
The leader of Iraq’s other major Kurdish political party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), called the agreement “historic” and “an important step toward shaping Syria’s future.”
Diliman Abdulkader, the founder of American Friends of Kurdistan, a Washington D.C.-based advocacy organization working to strengthen U.S.-Kurdish relations, said he disagrees with the deal, but realizes its political necessity.
“The Kurds remain to be kingmakers when it comes to the future of Syria,” Abdulkader posted to X. “Syria will not remain whole without their demands being part of the conversation and the fact that they must have a seat at the table.”
He added that the Kurds sacrificed more than 15,000 lives in the fight against ISIS and continue to be the jailers of ISIS terrorists.
“The Kurds have gone above and beyond despite their unfortunate circumstance,” he wrote.
Abdulkader said he believes the Kurds are hoping the deal will lead to decentralization and ensure that northeast Syria — where they govern — will remain a safe haven.
“So, let this agreement play out. Give it time,” he wrote.
Shaara has still yet to make a deal with the Druze minority community in the south of the country. Israel — which has a sizable Druze community — <a href="https://www.jns.org/idf-prepares-to-defend-druze-suburb-of-damascus-against-syrian-regime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed to protect</a> them from any harm.
<a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/03/08/syria-turkey-backed-jihadists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the Greek City Times</a>, some Christians were killed, including two Antiochian Greeks, Tony Petrus and his son, Fadi. The outlet also reported that a Christian icon on Tartous was desecrated. The heads of Syria’s Christian Churches released <a href="https://orthodoxtimes.com/patriarchs-of-syria-condemn-escalating-violence-call-for-peace-and-national-reconciliation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a joint statement</a> last week condemning the bloodshed and urging national reconciliation.

GlthGfHWEAAw-yY

Syria’s President Signs Agreement With Kurdish Leader Following Slaughter Of Minorities

Bashar Assad

Kurds

Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa called for “national unity and domestic peace” after militants aligned with the president, brutally slaughtering hundreds of minorities on Syria&#8217;s coastal areas.
“We have to preserve national unity and domestic peace; we can live together,” Sharaa said on Sunday during a speech broadcast from a mosque near his childhood neighborhood in Damascus.
Al-Sharaa said that Syria has the &#8220;characteristics for survival” and what is “currently happening in Syria is within the expected challenges.”
The Syrian leader also announced the launch of a “fact-finding committee” into the murders and said “anyone involved in civilian bloodshed” would be held accountable.
The fighting began on Thursday after members of the Alawite minority — a Shia-offshoot aligned with deposed former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad — launched attacks on the new regime’s security forces at checkpoints.
Assad was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-syrian-rebel-leader-mohammad-al-jolani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toppled by al-Shaara</a> and his U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), in December. Once affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, al-Shaara had a $10 million <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07gv3j818ko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI bounty</a> for almost a decade before being lifted in 2024.
In retaliation, Sharaa-aligned fighters launched brutal revenge killings, some of which were recorded and posted online. <a href="https://www.syriahr.com/en/357483/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to</a> the United Kingdom-based watchdog, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), women and children were killed and residents of the predominantly Alawite neighborhood of al-Ramlah in the coastal city of Jabalah reported homes being burned and looted.
At least 745 Alawite civilians have been killed in the Syrian port cities of Latakia and Tartous, according to SOHR. An additional 300 members of government security forces and 148 Assad-aligned militants were reportedly killed in the clashes as well.
Syrian authorities blamed the executions on unruly militias who came to help the security forces, according to the Times of Israel. Syrian Kurdish armed groups blamed some of the executions of civilians on Turkish-backed Islamist factions, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-sharaa-says-developments-within-expected-challenges-clashes-continue-arab-2025-03-09/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters reported</a>.
<a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/03/08/syria-turkey-backed-jihadists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to the Greek City Times</a>, some Christians were killed, including two Antiochian Greeks, Tony Petrus and his son, Fadi. The outlet also reported that a Christian icon on Tartous was desecrated. The heads of Syria’s Christian Churches released <a href="https://orthodoxtimes.com/patriarchs-of-syria-condemn-escalating-violence-call-for-peace-and-national-reconciliation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a joint statement</a> last week condemning the bloodshed and urging national reconciliation.
“Homes have been violated, their sanctity disregarded, and properties looted — scenes that starkly reflect the immense suffering endured by the Syrian people,” the Patriarchs said. “We strongly condemn any act that threatens civil peace and denounce the massacres targeting innocent civilians. These horrific acts stand in stark opposition to all human and moral values,” they stated.
Following al-Sharaa’s calls, fighting erupted again at Syria’s Banias gas power plant between Syria’s new security forces and “remnants of the former regime,&#8221; <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/9/syrias-president-calls-for-peace-calm-amid-brutal-clashes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> the state-run Syrian news agency SANA. SOHR reported that Sharaa-allied gunmen stormed a town in the Baniyas countryside where they looted and set fire to homes.
Following the violence, the delivery of food and basic goods to the areas has been suspended, according to SOHR. SOHR <a href="https://www.syriahr.com/en/357485/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also reported</a> that residents complained about interruption of electricity and drinking water and the suspension of work at bread bakeries.
The clashes have slowed following Syrian security forces surrounding an estimated 5,000 pro-Assad insurgents hiding in mountainous areas, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/syrian-leader-al-sharaa-calls-for-peace-as-country-sees-deadliest-violence-in-years/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported the Times of Israel</a>.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the murders by “radical Islamic terrorists, including foreign jihadis” in a <a href="https://www.state.gov/the-escalation-of-fighting-and-civilian-deaths-in-syria/">statement</a> on Sunday.
“The United States stands with Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, including its Christian, Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish communities, and offers its condolences to the victims and their families,” Rubio said. “Syria’s interim authorities must hold the perpetrators of these massacres against Syria’s minority communities accountable.”
The leader of a rebel pseudo-government in northwestern Syria, al-Shaara has been accused of grave human rights violations and has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-new-leaders-turn-islamic-law-effort-rebuild-assads-police-2025-01-23/">reported plans</a> to impose strict sharia law in the country. But he’s also sought to reinvent himself as a moderate force for a tolerant Syria.
He has repeatedly denied that he was a terrorist, including in a PBS interview where he said “it’s a political label that carries no truth or credibility.”
While ruling Idlib province before taking all of Syria, al-Shaara tried to appeal to various minority communities, including the Druze and the Kurds. During a CNN interview, al-Shaara acknowledged that minority groups such as Christians have suffered from jihadist groups during the Syrian civil war, but said they will live safely under the new regime.
“There were some violations against [minorities] by certain individuals during periods of chaos, but we addressed these issues,” al-Jolani said. “No one has the right to erase another group. These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and no one has the right to eliminate them.”
Despite his promises to minorities, al-Shaara’s former ties to ISIS and prominent terrorists in the region known for persecuting minorities caused distrust, even before the recent clashes.

National Conference Talks Convene In Damascus

Syria’s Jihadist President Calls For Peace As Aligned Forces Slaughter Minorities

Islamic Jihad

Hundreds of people have reportedly been massacred in Syria over the last three days in the coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia by the forces from the jihadist government.
The AFP reported that more than 530 people had been confirmed killed, according to figures released by one monitor group on Saturday. Other estimates placed the number that had been killed lower, with the lowest number coming in at approximately 150.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a> 532 Alawites killed by Syrian security forces, allies: new monitor toll <a href="https://t.co/nVkzEXR5jE">pic.twitter.com/nVkzEXR5jE</a>
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1898406620192731600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz pinned the massacre on the country&#8217;s new leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group, which was an offshoot of Al-Qaeda and was close to ISIS.
&#8220;Al-Julani took off his [robe], put on a suit, and presented a moderate facade,&#8221; Katz wrote in a post on X that included a video of scores of people who had been massacred. &#8220;Now, he has removed the mask, revealing his true face: a jihadist terrorist from the Al-Qaeda school, committing atrocities against the Alawite civilian population.&#8221;
&#8220;Israel will defend itself against any threat from Syria,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We will remain in the security zones and Mount Hermon and protect the communities of the Golan and Galilee.&#8221;
Katz said that Israel would ensure that southern Syria remained demilitarized and that they will take military action against anyone who harms the local Druze population in the area.
Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), said that the terrorist violence against the civilian population was &#8220;not just inevitable — it was a ticking time bomb.&#8221;
&#8220;The notion that the Syrian civil war ended with Assad’s fall was always an illusion — it has merely entered a new phase,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Iran still has ambitions in Syria and will do everything possible to keep the country in turmoil, ensuring an opportunity for their resurgence.&#8221;

Syrian Government Sends Reinforcements To Coast After Attacks By Assad Loyalists

Hundreds Of Civilians Massacred In Syria By Jihadist Government

Radical Islam

Terrorism

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino released a video this week showing the United States military hunting down an Islamic terrorist overseas.
&#8220;In President Trump’s first week back in office he told the world that we were going to find the Jihadi terrorists that mean to do Americans harm and bring them ultimate Justice,&#8221; Scavino posted on X.
&#8220;In just the past week, under the leadership of our great Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, our warfighters have killed five more high value targets,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;The dead terrorists include two members of Al Qaeda in Syria, and three members of ISIS in Somalia.&#8221;
&#8220;If you’re a Jihadi who wants to hurt us, it doesn’t matter where you hide,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;America’s warriors will not stop hunting you—until they find you!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In President Trump’s first week back in office he told the world that we were going to find the Jihadi terrorists that mean to do Americans harm and bring them ultimate Justice. In just the past week, under the leadership of our great Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, our… <a href="https://t.co/fgfldUk2RK">pic.twitter.com/fgfldUk2RK</a>
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1895346179224822234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
The video comes after the administration carried out a strike at the start of the month in Africa that resulted in the deaths of “many” terrorists.
“This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia,” Trump said in a statement. “These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies.”
“The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians,” Trump continued. “Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done. I did!”
“The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that ‘WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!&#8217;” Trump concluded.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a statement that the strike was carried out in the Golis mountains in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia.
“Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed,” the statement said. “This action further degrades ISIS’s ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trump’s leadership.”

Islamic terrorist

White House Releases Up-Close Footage Of Military Bombing Islamic Terrorist

ISIS

Military

Trump Administration

U.S.

The U.S. military announced on Thursday that it killed a top Islamic terrorist leader in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/syria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syria</a> earlier in the day.
U.S. Central Command said that it &#8220;conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria targeting and killing Muhammad Salah al-Za&#8217;bir, a senior operative in the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate.&#8221;
&#8220;The airstrike is part of CENTCOM&#8217;s ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the U.S., our allies, and our partners throughout the region and beyond,&#8221; the statement said.
Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command, said that CENTCOM under the Trump administration would be focused on continuing its mission &#8220;to hunt and kill or capture terrorists, and defend our homeland, against groups that plot to attack US and allied personnel.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CENTCOM Forces Kill Senior Operative of Terror Group Hurras al-Din, an Al-Qaeda Affiliate
On Jan. 30, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria targeting and killing Muhammad Salah al-Za&#8217;bir, a senior operative in the terrorist… <a href="https://t.co/7waflpa0Y6">pic.twitter.com/7waflpa0Y6</a>
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1885119568814776513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2025</a></blockquote>

“Operation Iraqi Freedom – An F-16 Fighting Falcon flies a mission in the skies near Iraq on March 22.  The F-16s are from the 35th Fighter Wing Wild Weasels, Misawa Air Base, Japan. “

U.S. Takes Out Top Terrorist In Syria

Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be the next director of national intelligence received a boost from a group of people well-acquainted with the threat of terrorism.
A former al Qaeda hostage, his parents, and the parents of an ISIS victim signed a joint letter backing Gabbard’s nomination as key to protecting Americans from terrorism, especially with the ascent of a new terror group in Syria.
Letter signatory Theo Padnos was kidnapped and held by the Nusra Front, an al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, from 2012 to 2014. His parents, Nancy Curtis and Michael Padnos, also signed the letter, as well as Carl and Marsha Mueller, whose daughter, Kayla, is believed to have been executed by ISIS in 2015 after being held captive in Syria for over two years.
Gabbard’s experience in national security and her service in the military has given her the necessary experience to understand the threat of terrorism, the letter says, according to a copy obtained by The Daily Wire.
“[Gabbard] has been compassionate towards terrorism’s victims. She has been a fierce advocate for bringing its practitioners to justice,” the letter says.
“American hostage families know that Tulsi Gabbard has always been on our side. We know this because all of us have been in the position of needing information and connections in a country in which the American foreign policy apparatus has been unable to provide even the most basic forms of help,” it continues.
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After the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorial regime last month, large swaths of Syria have fallen under the control of the Turkish-backed, U.S.-recognized terror group Hay&#8217;at Tahrir al-Sham, the leader of which has past ties to al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
“Now that the individuals who helped to build up ISIS and al Qaeda in Syria have taken charge of the country, we expect terrorists there to have a much freer hand in the future,” the letter says. It goes on to warn that terror groups in Syria will wield their influence over the internet to groom and radicalize “lone wolves in the West.”
“Given the threat that has lately surfaced in New Orleans, we feel that the sooner the senate confirms Tulsi Gabbard the better, as the nation needs leadership that will keep Americans safe,” the letter says.
The endorsement comes at a key time for Gabbard, one of President-elect Donald Trump’s more controversial nominees, as she prepares for a Senate confirmation hearing this month. Gabbard has been scrutinized for her past efforts to foster a closer U.S. relationship with Assad, whom she met with in 2017.
<a style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Muellers and Theo Letter of Support on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/document/812397735/Muellers-and-Theo-Letter-of-Support#from_embed">Muellers and Theo Letter of Support</a> by <a style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Timothy Pearce's profile on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/user/586253706/Timothy-Pearce#from_embed">Timothy Pearce</a> on Scribd

Tulsi Gabbard

Victims Of Syrian Terror Groups Throw Support Behind Tulsi Gabbard For DNI

Director of National Intelligence

Donald Trump

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel-defense-forces-idf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel Defense Forces</a> (IDF) declassified footage on Thursday showing a raid that IDF commandos carried out on September 8th, 2024, deep inside Syrian territory on an underground Iranian missile manufacturing plant.
The raid from the Israeli Air Force&#8217;s (IAF) Shaldag Unit was the result of years worth of &#8220;extensive intelligence gathering and monitoring,&#8221; the IDF said in a statement.
&#8220;The soldiers landed using helicopters, with fire and intelligence-gathering support from aircraft, fighter jets, and naval vessels of the Israeli Navy,&#8221; the IDF said. &#8220;The compound was a flagship project for Iran&#8217;s efforts to arm its terror proxies on Israel’s northern border. The compound included advanced assembly lines designed to manufacture precision-guided missiles and long-range rockets, significantly increasing the supply of missiles to Hezbollah and other Iranian terror proxies in the region.&#8221;
&#8220;During the operation, the forces reached critical machinery for manufacturing precision missiles, including a planetary mixer, numerous weapons, and intelligence documents, which were transferred for investigation,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;The soldiers destroyed the compound and safely returned to Israeli territory.&#8221;
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that he was proud of the commandos for the &#8220;bold and successful operation deep inside Syria.&#8221;
&#8220;This is one of the important countermeasures we have taken against the Iranian axis&#8217; attempts to arm itself to harm us, and it testifies to our determination and courage to act everywhere to protect ourselves,&#8221; he added.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Israeli military declassified intelligence on a commando raid that destroyed an Iranian-funded and supported underground compound for manufacturing precision missiles in Syria:
On September 8, 2024, over 100 Shaldag commandos raided an underground compound in Masyaf, Syria.… <a href="https://t.co/IacE7zQrt2">pic.twitter.com/IacE7zQrt2</a>
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1874848162453893500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A video from the day of the operation, showing the sequence of events on the ground: <a href="https://t.co/a1bAS9Q2nr">pic.twitter.com/a1bAS9Q2nr</a>
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1874848169366024451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
The operation marked <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-destroys-underground-iranian-built-missile-factory-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the first known ground operation</a> by Israel inside of Syria in years.
The raid happened in the western part of Syria, near the border of Lebanon, while the IAF conducted an intense bombing campaign to stop the Syrian military from being able to send reinforcements to respond to Israel’s operation at the factory.
Israel notified the U.S. of the raid in advance and received no opposition to launching the operation.
The Syrian guards who were protecting the terrorist manufacturing facility were caught off guard by the raid and were killed in the Israeli commandos’ surprise attack.
U.S. and Israeli sources confirmed to Axios that Iran started building the underground facility in 2018 in coordination with Hezbollah and the Syrians after Israel “destroyed most of the Iranian missile production infrastructure” inside the country.
Israeli intelligence services reportedly monitored the site, built inside of a mountain, for five years. Israel previously considered launching an operation to destroy the site, but deemed the project too “high-risk.”
The raid could foreshadow how Israel might deal with Iran’s nuclear facilities as the country gets closer to obtaining nuclear weapons, partly due to a lack of deterrence from the Biden administration, some experts say.

IDF Releases Footage From Raid It Carried Out On Underground Iranian Missile Factory

Iran

The U.S. military announced on Friday that it killed the leader of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/isis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ISIS</a> in an airstrike this week in Syria.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said that U.S. forces carried out a precision airstrike on Thursday targeting ISIS leader Abu Yusif in the Dayr az Zawr Province.
The strike killed Yusif and another ISIS terrorist, CENTCOM said in a statement.
Yusif was located in an area that had been controlled by the Syrian and Russian government just a few of weeks ago.
“As stated before, the United States — working with allies and partners in the region — will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and reconstitute. ISIS has the intent to break out of detention the over 8,000 ISIS operatives currently being held in facilities in Syria,&#8221; said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander. &#8220;We will aggressively target these leaders and operatives, including those trying to conduct operations external to Syria.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
CENTCOM Forces Kill ISIS Leader During Precision Strike in Syria
On Dec. 19, U.S. Central Command Forces conducted a precision airstrike targeting ISIS leader Abu Yusif aka Mahmud in the Dayr az Zawr Province, Syria resulting in two ISIS operatives killed, including Abu… <a href="https://t.co/g3nO68Ye1T">pic.twitter.com/g3nO68Ye1T</a>
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1870109546284564645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
The strike comes as the U.S. and Israel have launched airstrikes in recent weeks to prevent terrorists from seizing on the moment and recapturing large swaths of land that they have been driven out of.
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Last week, the U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-conducts-airstrikes-against-islamic-terrorists-in-syria-yemen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> airstrikes against “known ISIS camps” in Syria that killed at least a dozen ISIS terrorists.
Israel has targeted weapon depots and caches of chemical weapons seeking to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Islamic terrorists who overran the country.

TOPSHOT-SYRIA-CONFLICT-JIHADISTS

U.S. Kills ISIS Leader Abu Yusif In Syria

With the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, the search for an American journalist who has been imprisoned for over 12 years has intensified.
Austin Tice, 43, was detained at a checkpoint while traveling from a suburb of Damascus to Lebanon in 2012. He was working as a freelance journalist for various publications including The Washington Post. A month after his capture, he appeared in a video sent to his family showing him with armed men, titled “Austin Tice is Alive.” It included no other information. It is believed that Tice escaped weeks after he was kidnapped but was recaptured by Syrian intelligence.
The toppling of Assad created new hope in the efforts to find Tice, as one of the rebels&#8217; first priorities was to break into Syria’s prisons and release political prisoners.
Western journalists and NGO workers are inspecting prisons, Israel is refraining from bombing areas where Tice may be, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he will get involved in the effort to find Tice, who U.S. intelligence officials believe is alive.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently offering a <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/austin-bennett-tice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$1 million reward</a> for information leading to Tice’s return home.
The U.S. government is operating under the belief that Tice is alive and was imprisoned by the Assad regime in one of its detention centers, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/12/18/netanyahu-austin-tice-israel-syria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios reported</a>. Tice’s parents — who have been constantly fighting for his release — said they received assurances he is alive.
One prisoner, an American, appeared in initial videos following his release lying on a mattress, sparking speculation that he might be Tice, until it was later confirmed that he was Travis Timmerman of Missouri. <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/mother-american-journalist-imprisoned-syria-sees-hope-following-news-travis-timmermans-release" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mrs. Tice said</a> seeing Timmerman’s release felt “like a rehearsal” for her son’s future release.
&#8220;It was almost like having a rehearsal &#8230; an inkling of what it&#8217;s really going to feel like when it is Austin walking free,&#8221; she told NBC television&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press.”
<div id="attachment_847061" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847061" class="size-large wp-image-847061" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2150698068-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2150698068-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2150698068-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2150698068-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2150698068-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2150698068-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2150698068-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/GettyImages-2150698068-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Debra Tice (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)</div>
The rebel group — which is designated as a terrorist organization — led by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/who-is-syrian-rebel-leader-mohammad-al-jolani" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohammad al-Jolani</a> (Ahmed Hussein al-Shara), has reportedly agreed to cooperate with the U.S. government in the search for Tice. Al-Jolani’s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has been given a list of former Syrian officials who may have knowledge about Tice, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/18/us/politics/austin-tice-missing-syria.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported The New York Times</a>. The list was reportedly short because only a small group in Assad’s government were informed on Tice.
Since the fall of the Assad regime, Israel has launched air strikes to destroy Syria’s weapons and military infrastructure including its air defenses, aircraft, missiles, UAVs, radars, and more.
Mrs. Tice, worried about the bombing campaign’s interference in rescuing her son, sent Netanyahu a letter on Tuesday stating that she has “credible information” that her son might be in a prison near Damascus, and asked him to pause until Tice is rescued, Axios reported.
On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured Mrs. Tice that the Israeli Defense Forces are not targeting areas where her son may be located.
“In response to your letter, please rest assured that Israel and its intelligence agencies are fully coordinated with the relevant American authorities on the matter and that the IDF is not active in the area where Austin may be located,” Netanyahu wrote.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu&#8217;s letter to Austin Tice&#8217;s mother.
&#8220;In response to your letter, please rest assured that Israel and its intelligence agencies are fully coordinated with the relevant American authorities on the matter and that the IDF is not active in the area where… <a href="https://t.co/pu72sF3HYQ">pic.twitter.com/pu72sF3HYQ</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1869776806858887411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
“I hope that you find a measure of comfort in that knowledge that your son’s courage and dedication as a journalist have not gone unnoticed,” Netanyahu added. “His commitment to the truth and to shining a light on the war in Syria have inspired so many people.”
Mrs. Tice spoke at the National Press Club earlier this month, stating that she was given reassurances that Tice is alive and has been treated well.
“We have from a significant source that has already been vetted all over our government that Austin Tice is alive. Austin Tice is treated well, and there is no doubt about that,” she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Debra Tice: &#8220;We have from a significant source that has been already been vetted all over our government: Austin Tice is alive. Austin Tice is treated well, and there is no doubt about that.” <a href="https://t.co/Iqj5h971io">pic.twitter.com/Iqj5h971io</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1865128039983497295?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
NGO Hostage Aid Worldwide, <a href="https://x.com/HostageAid/status/1866195214865690881" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent its president</a>, Nizar Zakka, to Syria to assist in the search for Tice.
During a press conference this week, Putin said he would ask President Bashar al-Assad — who fled to Russia following his regime’s collapse — about Tice’s whereabouts.
“I haven’t met with President [Bashar al-]Assad since his arrival in Moscow, but I plan to do so, I will definitely talk to him,” Putin said, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/19/europe/russia-putin-austin-tice-comments-conference-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported CNN</a>.
But Putin expressed doubt that Tice could be found, citing the lengthy time since his detainment.
“But you and I are adults, we understand, right?” Putin said. “12 years ago, a man disappeared in Syria, 12 years ago! We understand what the situation was there 12 years ago, there was active military action, and on both sides. Does President Assad himself know what happened to this American citizen, a journalist who was doing his journalistic duty in a combat zone? Nevertheless, I promise that I will ask this question to those people who control the situation on the ground in Syria today.”
Putin was asked the question following Mrs. Tice requesting his help in a letter, due to his strong ties to the Syrian government.
“The current situation in Syria compels us to ask for your help in finding Austin and safely reuniting our family,” she reportedly wrote in the letter. “You have profound connections with the Syrian government, which can be a great benefit for our unrelenting efforts to find our Austin and reunite our family.”
In August 2024, the twelfth anniversary of Tice’s abduction, Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href="https://www.state.gov/12-years-of-captivity-for-austin-tice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reiterated the calls</a> for his release in a statement.
“For more than a quarter of his life, Austin has been separated from his family and kept in unknown conditions,” Blinken&#8217;s statement reads. “We know that the Syrian government has held Austin, and we have repeatedly offered to find a way to bring him home.”
In August 2020, on the eighth anniversary of his capture, President-elect Donald Trump issued a statement calling for Tice&#8217;s release and urged the Syrian government to assist in his return.
“There is no higher priority in my administration than the recovery and return of Americans missing abroad,” <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-202000606/pdf/DCPD-202000606.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump wrote</a>. “The Tice family deserves answers. We stand with the Tice family and will not rest until we bring Austin home.”
The Tice family praised Trump for sending Kash Patel to Syria to open a dialogue about Tice’s return. The <a href="https://www.austinticefamily.com/family-statements/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">family said</a> they were closer than they “have ever been to having Austin safely home” at the time.
The family also met with President Joe Biden, who they said made “significant, encouraging commitments” in the efforts to bring Tice home.
A Houston native, Tice served as a captain in the Marine Corps, is an Eagle Scout, and graduated from Georgetown University. He has won several journalism awards, including the 2012 George Polk Award for War Reporting, the 2012 McClatchy Newspapers President’s Award, and the 2015 National Press Club John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award, <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/captive-austin-tice-family-washington-19953579.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Houston Chronicle reported</a>.
Tice traveled to Syria to freelance in the summer of 2012 before his last year at Georgetown Law School. He is <a href="https://www.austinticefamily.com/#about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> the longest-held journalist in captivity, according to the National Press Club.

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