Americans held for months inside Syrian prison turned over to U.S. forces, flown to safety

The U.S. military flew a missing American citizen to safety after he spent about seven months inside Syria’s notorious prison system.

Travis Timmerman, 29, was handed over to U.S. officials on Friday and later flown out of the country, a Defense Department official confirmed.

Mr. Timmerman was among thousands of people suddenly released from prison on Monday after Syrian rebels reached Damascus and overthrew President Bashar Assad, ending his family’s 50-year rule over the country.

“Mr. Timmerman was transferred to U.S. forces in Syria earlier today and has since been transferred to Jordan,” a Pentagon official said Friday. “U.S. Central Command is supporting the Department of State in ensuring his safe return.”

Mr. Timmerman had reportedly gone into Syria as part of a Christian pilgrimage when he was taken into custody by Syrian officials.

Mouaz Moustafa, director of the Washington-based Syrian Emergency Task Force, worked with the anti-Asaad rebels to arrange Mr. Timmerman’s transfer to American forces.

“Thank you to the new government in Damascus for helping us and escorting us safely to,” the U.S. base in Syria, Mr. Moustafa said Friday on social media. “Syria is free and so are the Americans detained by the animal Assad. Now, back to Damascus to look for others that need to go home.”